Ep. 4: “One Woman’s Journey as Caregiver and Widow, and the Joyful Surprise in Her Journey Today”- Guest Katie Schwartzmeyer-Stearns.
Imagine meeting the man of your dreams, having a whirlwind romance and then marrying him! Can’t get any better right…..
For Katie Schwartzmeyer-Stearns, the dream faded within two years when her new husband was diagnosed with an Anaplastic stage 3 Glioma which later turned into stage 4 Glioblastoma.
Multi-tasking, her husband Jesse underwent radiation, while they also underwent IVF. They eventually became pregnant. Katie juggled caregiver duties, a newlywed, a new mom, and carrying strength for her husband, daughter, and herself.
Jesse passed away at the age of 42, Katie was just 34 with an eight-month old baby.
Currently Katie, now 37, works in HR at the University of Rochester. She and Jesse’s daughter is now four years old, and she is remarried to a wonderful man, John, who helps her keep Jesse’s memory alive. In this episode, she shares an amazing miracle that truly keeps Jesse’s memory alive while also embracing love again.
Her story shows all of us that grief is hard and scary, but that there can be some extraordinary miracles while walking through it. It’s also a reminder that whether patient, family, or caregiver/spouse, we are not alone in this brain cancer journey.
Resources from Ep. 4:
Articles/Books:
Gliomas and Treatments-John Hopkins
For more resources mentioned in this episode visit: brainsforthecure.org
Hosted by Shannon Traphagen 
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