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Achievements
I've raised $1,000!
I am a member of Club 1K!
Dr. Paul J. Lukac
337 percent of goal achieved.
Goal: $2,000.00
Achieved: $6,732.13

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Dear Friends,

My story: I am a 28 year old Pediatrics resident at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. I finished 1.5 years of medical school when my life took a different path (temporarily). On December 30th, 2008, I found out I had a brain tumor; Jan. 2nd, 2009, it was removed in a total resection; Jan. 8th, I found out it was malignant i.e. not good. Through 52 months now (!) I've been 100%, and at this point I don't even think about it anymore; prognosis is better and better every day.

My symptoms were strange. In late October 2008, I began having simple, partial seizures that I thought was simply anxiety associated with medical school. I would have a song stuck in my head, one that I knew very well, but I couldn't pinpoint where I knew it from or what the words were, and I had an intense deja-vu feeling. Then, for the next 1-2 minutes, I would be confused with a slight loss of hearing. This happened about once a week.  I was incredibly anxious and a bit depressed, as the nascent tumor was pushing on my amygdala and hippocampus.  In hindsight, I realize there were other symptoms.  One person commented late at night that my left eyelid was drooping.  I also occasionally had difficultly with word recall.

I must have gotten this stupid brain tumor for a reason...probably to raise money and become a better doctor.  Today I view my experience positively--while I may have lost a few IQ points, I've gained much more in understanding my patients. 

I'm not dying and am in fact doing quite well. I think I am living proof that people can survive GBMs and live normal, long, productive lives. This is my 5th ABTA race. I stumbled across the ABTA by chance, and I'm not sure how I would've made it thru my 1st winter without the organization and my maniacal goal to raise $50,000. Please support me again this year in this wonderful event, as many of you have done in the past. ALL OF THE MONEY OF THIS EVENT GOES TO BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH and PATIENT, FAMILY, AND DOCTOR PROGRAMS.

20000 gbms are diagnosed each year. They are rare and underfunded (I know from my time spent in a lab), and they have such profound effects on patients, their families, and their friends. After speaking with countless others with this affliction and their families, I know I'm not alone.  Let's stop it!


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