Jerry’s Fight

Jerry's Fight:

Jerry was all set to celebrate his 37th birthday with his 4 children (Ryan, Destiney, Landon and Kaden) and his wife, Pamela.  He was feeling great except for a headache that he couldn't seem to get rid of.  About a week after the headache started a trip to ER would confirm his worst fears, a tumor growing in the left side of his brain.  A few days later Jerry was diagnosed with a stage 4 Astrocytoma and underwent a crainiotomy to remove the tumor.  The surgeons were able to remove 96% of the tumor and Jerry was immediately started on chemotherapy and radiation.

Jerry has experience alot in the last few weeks but lives everyday with the motto "we got this".  He has the best attitude through all this and keeps a big smile on his face at all times, even when he has a bad day.  Jerry's family and friends are throwing him a benefit to help offset medical bills on October 13, so he can focus on his treatment and enjoy time with his wife, Pamela and their 4 children.

What is Astrocytoma: 

Astrocytomas are a type of neoplasm of the brain. They originate in a particular kind of glial-cells, star-shaped brain cells in the cerebrum called astrocytes. This type of tumor does not usually spread outside the brain and spinal cord and it does not usually affect other organs. Astrocytomas are the most common glioma and can occur in most parts of the brain and occasionally in the spinal cord. Within the astrocytomas, there are two broad classes recognized in literature, those with:

• Narrow zones of infiltration (mostly invasive tumors; e.g., pilocytic astrocytoma, subependymal giant cell astrocytoma, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma), that often are clearly outlined on diagnostic images
• Diffuse zones of infiltration (e.g., low-grade astrocytoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, glioblastoma), that share various features, including the ability to arise at any location in the CNS, but with a preference for the cerebral hemispheres; they occur usually in adults; and an intrinsic tendency to progress to more advanced grades.^[1]

People can develop astrocytomas at any age. The low-grade type is more often found in children or young adults, while the high-grade type are more prevalent in adults. Astrocytomas in the base of the brain are more common in young people and account for roughly 75% of neuroepithelial tumors