J's 2nd Chance Squad

MY STORY

In March 2006, I began to have pressure and aches in my head. At first I thought it was because Carolina lost to George Mason in the tournament, but I soon found out that it was something more serious. I went to the doctor who was certain it was a sinus infection but told me to go get a CAT scan to be sure. After the CAT scan, the doctor called me and said I needed an MRI.

For those who may not know, a MRI is like being put in a tiny crawlspace with the sound of clanging metal. Luckily, I'm not claustrophobic. The results for the MRI found a mass in my brain. The doctors immediately sent me to Duke Hospital. I didn't have time to sit down in the emergency room before I was taken to be evaluated. The next day Dr. Sampson (my neurosurgeon) informed me that I had a small, benign tumor that was disrupting the flow of fluid between my brain and spinal cord. They decided that they would do surgery to create a passage for fluid to flow.

The surgery took all of 30 minutes. Dr Sampson informed my parents that the surgery was quick and everything was a success! In March 2010, I began having headaches again and my yearly MRI showed fluid had built-up in my brain. The hole they created during my first surgery had closed, so they went back in and opened another area for fluid drainage. This time the "tune-up" was conducted by Dr. Fuchs and I have been headache free since.

The Mission

Other patients are not as fortunate as I am. I have had no problems since my second surgery, but other forms of brain cancer can be extremely aggressive. The treatments for aggressive tumors have advanced, but more research needs to be conducted. Every dollar raised will help fund research to combat this disease. I am running this 5K for those who have a family member, friend, or know someone who has been affected by this disease. This will hopefully give everyone a second chance.

My goal is to raise $3,000 this year. Please help my team achieve this goal. Any contribution you make will go towards an excellent cause! Participants are welcome let me know if you would like to run or participate in the walk. I greatly appreciate your support!

Thank you in advance,

Jeremy Hicks