Take The Trip!

Take the Trip!

Take the Trip!

I’ve always had a passion for travel but have more recently appreciated how important it is to make time for adventures. The world is a beautiful place, but it’s truly the memories you make and the relationships you celebrate with friends and families while on these adventures that make them so important. You never know when you may not be able to take that trip.

A friend who inspired myself and others to always take the trip!

My most recent adventure was a trip to Seattle with a few friends, scheduled primarily to kayak with whales. Fortunately, we had no scary whale encounters, but we did enjoy spotting seals and bald eagles from our kayaks, marveled at the gorgeous coastline and learned all about the strange looking sea kelp of the Pacific Northwest. For two nights of our trip, we were hosted by my very first boss and long-time friend. After many years we reconnected, and it was as though no time had passed. I am so grateful for the friends, my family and colleagues that continually reach to me with words of support. I can’t begin to express how much I appreciate you all.

Friends making memories.

Kayaking the San Juan Islands

The day after I returned from Seattle, I had my follow up appointment at the University of Minnesota and am happy to report my tumor is still in a stable status. It has been two years since my initial diagnosis, and I’m filled with an immense amount of gratitude for my good fortune. That said, I’m also realistic and know this won’t last forever. I am now considered a long-term survivor. Ten percent of patients with my type of brain tumor survive beyond two years. So, I’m motivated to do more now. I’m focused on making a difference while I can, and I’d like to share a few of the ways I am working to do that.

Working with UW-Stout, Dave and I have established an annual scholarship “Take the Trip!” for College of Design - Interior Design students, available to students that include study abroad as part of their education. When I was in college, my study abroad experience in Scotland had a significant impact on me. It opened my eyes to different cultures and broadened my perspective on design. I’m hopeful that through this scholarship fund, I can help others have the same experience. If you know students attending Stout, considering sharing news of this new scholarship fund with them.

I’m serving as a mentor to people newly diagnosed brain tumors, helping them navigate the care complexities, talk through the emotional impact and sift through all the craziness. To do this, I am working with two organizations, American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) and Imerman's Angels.

I’m committed to raising money to support brain tumor research. On September 7, a fantastic gathering of friends and family will attend The Humor to Fight the Tumor Gala. Feel free to join us all as we raise funding for local research within Minnesota.

In my previous post, I talked about the trial drug I take, Onc201. This drug is not expected to receive FDA approval for 3-5 years. Most people with my diagnosis just don’t have that kind of time. If you’d like to join me in the effort to advance FDA approvals, consider writing to your congressman or congresswoman. Ask them to support The Promising Pathways Act

And finally, I’d like to leave you with some words of wisdom sent to me from a friend.

“We live in a world filled with wonderful things---with city lights and favorite places, with fantastic opportunities, grand surprises, and plenty of special moments in between. But these aren’t the only things that make our world a delight. And they aren’t the only things that make life rich. Because what really brings these wondrous things to life are the people we know--the ones who make the adventure worth taking, the ones who turn experiences into memories, the ones who make the world better”