So I have volunteered to write about brain tumor patients and survivors to raise awareness.  There is an ongoing awareness campaign over on Twitter called "Brain Tumor Thursday."  It happens every Thursday on Twitter.  Just put in the hash tag #braintumorthursday.  There is great information, support, stories, and articles being shared from this link about cell phones and cancer to an inspirational story about a woman's awesome fight against a brain tumor.  There are many great organizations and individuals reaching out to help individuals and families dealing with the effects of a brain tumor.  Check it out on Twitter.

As some of you know, my mother has had non-cancerous brain tumors since 2000.  She was diagnosed by a doctor after a series of tests at the emergency room. She has two brain tumors: one on her brain stem and the other in her cerebellum. This always confuses me -- is it in her cerebellum or on it?  She had emergency brain surgery in 2000 to drain the fluid in her brain.  The surgeons put a shunt in her brain to drain the fluid.  She had radiation treatment in 2004.  My mom is alive and able to talk to me on the phone.  When I hear her voice, it makes me happy.

She is my magic mama.   The link (Magic Mama) is an essay  I wrote to celebrate her beauty and dedication as a mother.

I have always been grossed out by medical procedures and I can't even look at a scan of the brain on Grey's Anatomy without losing my lunch.  So I have stayed out of the medical part of my mom's illness.  I realize that I am biting off more than I can chew by offering to write creative nonfiction pieces about brain tumor survivors and patients, as I barely have time to shower most days.  But this is for a good cause.  I believe people should know that having a brain tumor doesn't mean the end of life.

For most patients, they want to see another spring and watch in awe at the beauty of nature, as she unveils her white silky buds of the Dogwood, or the yellow cupcaked beauty of the daffodil.

Brain tumor patients want to see the next spring and the next, just like any other person.

So, I launch Brain Tumor Thursday on my blog.  I will try my best to post a feature story or mini muse interview with a brain tumor patient every Thursday.  I will make a heading at the top of the page so they are easy to find.  That is one thing I am working on with my writing is organizational skills having to do with technology.

So here is how it will work.  If you know someone with a brain tumor, please have them email me at [email protected]  I will ask them to email me a photo of themselves doing something they enjoy or a favorite photo of theirs.  Whatever they want to share.  Then I will ask them to fill out this short questionnaire.

Art Credit: http://artbyjolie.com/stories/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2.jpg

Fill in the blank:

I hope...

I wish...

I dream about...

I am (be)...

It follows my mini muse interview formula and my motto (Hope. Wish. Dream. Be.)

* Optional

* Brain tumor diagnoses and treatment...

* Favorite quote...

* Three things you'd like to share...

I will do my best to get my mom to fill in the blanks over the phone and she can be the first one to do the mini muse interview.  But feel free to email me right away if you want to participate.  There are some amazing organizations promoting awareness and offering support and information.  Here is a list of the ones I know about.  Please feel free to add them to the comments.  I will work on adding the links to the sidebar.

• The American Brain Tumor Association
• BT Buddies
• Your Eyes Are Your Heart
• Tumor Warrior
• 

You are beautiful, brilliant, wonderful, and strong.

Art Credit: http://www.kristigovertsen.com/blog/