Daughter Writes Heartwarming Message in Snow for Mom with Brain Cancer Urging Her to 'Be Brave'
A woman battling an aggressive form of brain cancer is seeking treatment far from her home in Guatemala, but her daughter showed her a heartwarming display of support by leaving a gigantic message written in the snow outside of her hospital window.
Michele Schambach was diagnosed with stage 3 oligodendroglioma, a tumor that can grow in the brain or spinal cord, WJBK reported.
Though Schambach is from Guatemala, her doctors reportedly advised her to seek treatment with Dr. Gene Barnett of Cleveland Clinic’s Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center.
Schambach and her family traveled to Ohio so she could begin radiation and chemotherapy treatment in October after undergoing surgery to remove the tumor.
But Schambach received some disappointing news this month when doctors said her blood counts were not improving, which could inhibit her treatment schedule. The news, combined with being so far from her home, left Schambach “feeling down,” the clinic told WJBK.
That’s when her daughter, Dr. Marie Schambach, noticed the snow blanketing the ground outside her mom’s window, and went outside with a plan to boost Schambach’s spirits.
RELATED: 19-Year-Old Learns Her Common Cold Is Actually Terminal Brain Cancer: ‘It’s Just Heartbreaking’
In gigantic letters, Marie wrote “Mom, Be Brave,” in the snow outside, along with a drawing of a ribbon, a symbol of support of cancer patients.
“My mom [is] in the best hands in the world at Cleveland clinic in Ohio!” Marie wrote in a Facebook post on Valentine’s Day that included pictures of her sweet message.
RELATED: Preschool Teacher with Brain Tumor Who Was Given a Week to Live Is Now Thriving
“Hey brain cancer… you got the wrong super woman!” she added.
According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 1,200 people are diagnosed with oligodendroglioma every year, and there are nearly 12,000 people currently living with it. Treatment typically includes surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy, or clinical trials.
The five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma tumor is 74 percent, according to the Institute.
RELATED: 5-Year-Old Boy with Brain Cancer Gets Treated to Dream ‘Unicorn Ride’ Before Starting Treatment
Cleveland Clinic also posted about Marie’s kind gesture on its Twitter account when the message first appeared.
“A beautiful message was left at our main campus today,” the hospital said. “To the person who wrote it, you’ve touched our hearts.”
