IN MEMORY OF MAKI

AUGUST 27, 1985 - FEBRUARY 10, 2023

There is no fight like the fight against time. Often people carry on through life, managing their routine days, and not taking a moment to appreciate their good health. For our community of brain tumor patients, this diagnosis changes us and forces us to look at minutes differently. That moment you hear the doctor say, "You have a brain tumor," you are forever changed. Instantly your heart drops, and time as you once knew it feels different. Intense emotions you never even knew existed somehow take over, and instantly your life is forever changed.

A few weeks ago our community lost one of our beloved BTCompanions Maki. I share this newsletter with you to honor her spirit. Let this message be a reminder to you to live life to the fullest, even on your most challenging days. This diagnosis forces us to be present with our mortality whether we like it or not. It gives us a new perspective because our minutes are more valuable now. We begin to question if our time spent nurtures our soul, helps us to heal, and if it leads to enjoyable, educational, and adventurous experiences. We become more aware of our day-in and day-out tasks, and how what we do affects our overall health. We learn quickly to be present with everything, from each little physical change in our bodies to the people we choose to spend our quality time with. We often question:

Do these people listen, care, and heal my soul or do they drain my energy?

Do I feel loved and supported, is this a safe relationship, or a negative one?

Do they give me hope to keep going, or simply dismiss me and tell me I'm fine?

As I use my valuable minutes at this moment to honor my beautiful friend Maki, I feel so grateful to have met her on this journey a little over two years ago. She took a chance on me and joined our Brain Tumor Zoom Support Group for the first time back in November 2020. She was hesitant at first for many valid reasons, she didn't feel she'd fit in given she had stage 4 cancer, and she didn't want to be scared or let down again by others. At that time she was a 5+ year survivor of Glioblastoma. After her first session, she knew she found a safe place to fall. For two years, she joined our group regularly. I was fortunate to share 48 zoom sessions with this beautiful young woman. I met her in person for lunch and put together a 5k in her honor last October (2022) with my fellow Companions to share with others her fight and light. Little did we know that our 5k would be the beginning of the end of her time with us. Our Companions were there in real-time to help her as we witnessed her battle become unwinnable. We got in touch with her family immediately, and upon returning home from honoring her triumphant fight at our event, she was put under hospice care.

Maki in many ways was the heart and soul of our group. She was the reason I updated the group name Meningioma Companion to primarily be noted as Brain Tumor Companion. She reminded us all how much we have in common, even if some of us have a more "severe" diagnosis. She was an example of strength, hope, perseverance, and resilience. In two years' time, and over 9,000 minutes of zooming, lunching, emailing, and texting, I have shared my heart and soul with this woman and it has made me a better person. I am so grateful for the connection we had, that many of us in our group had with her. Only in her mid-thirties, she is gone too soon.

Fly free Maki, your incredible fight that we will forever honor has ended. A 7+ year survivor, and the most positive energy I have ever seen, truly the 2% of people who survive over five years with Glioblastoma; you lived your days to the fullest, sharing your light, your beautiful smile, and your pure will to beat f&cking cancer. Maki, our group will always be grateful to you for your unwavering support and understanding, your in-kind gift-giving, and your funny and sometimes outright crude stories! You were an absolute gift to all of us on earth. We miss you and we love you. Fly free beautiful, time to trade in all that pain, suffering, and worry for some real wings. I am confident that as determined as your soul was on earth, you are going to thrive with your new Angel status.

Maki your words are with us always. We miss talking to you, laughing with you, and crying with you. Thank you for sharing your valuable minutes with us. Your kindness will never be forgotten and you are forever in our hearts. Fly free beautiful soul, we love you!

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*The information provided in this newsletter is not to be perceived as medical advice, simply information that is shared by brain tumor peers. Brain Tumor Companion | Meningioma Companion is not contracted or paid to promote any of the people, companies, or groups that are shared on this platform.