Kristyn Power - father diagnosed with GBM - minute 27:00 - ASCO 2018 presentation
Hello. My name’s Kristen Power and I’m from Canada. In July 2014, we received the terrifying news that my dad was diagnosed with GBM. At that time, he started radiation and he was able to comply radiation, but he wasn’t able to tolerate chemo. So because of that, he had another recurrence in the Spring of 2015. In 2015, there weren’t a lot of treatment options because of his inability to take chemo. In October, following his complete resection in June [2015], he had another recurrence. At that time, we fought for a third surgery, and they were able to resect 70% of the tumor. 30% of the tumor remained, and it was a fast growing tumor. We were told that he likely had about two weeks to live.
We contacted Northwest and we were able to obtain the vaccine compassionately because we preserved the tumor tissue, and he started treatment.
Today, my dad is almost four years out from diagnosis. He continues to be stable. He’s improving. If we look at his cognitive function, his conversations are improving, his physical mobility is improving, and everything is looking really good. We’re really, really grateful for how Northwest has treated us. They treat as almost part of the family. They answer the phone, they answer all of our questions, they’ve been amazing. I think that’s it. Oh, when dad was diagnosed, he was in his sixties. So, that’s one of those negative prognostic factors.
So he was over sixty, he didn’t have a complete resection, he wasn’t able to take chemo, he had a fast growing tumor, and he’s still doing good.
[Kristen forgot to mention that her father was recurrent GBM as well.]
That’s our experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=17&v=AfJl9ZIgo54