I found out for myself that the disease can be tricky. The story of Vanessa Florczak

– Nobody dared to tell me the whole truth. I believed that I was only brought to neurosurgery for tests that would confirm that I was fine, that I would be returning home in a moment – says Vanessa Florczak. She was 14 at the time, she knew she had a brain tumor. What happened next and how she regained her lost life, she told Medonet. She chose to warn others. – Do not underestimate the symptoms, let us check ourselves regularly – this may prevent later dramas.

1. Vanessa Florczak was only 14 years old when she found out she had a brain tumor. The lesion developed at a very unfavorable place – right in the center of the brain. Leaving the tumor as well as trying to remove it may have resulted in a disability for her
2. – It was terrifying information for my family … Fortunately, I did not realize the seriousness of the situation at the time – I was spared the details – says Vanessa
3. Doctors decided to remove the tumor. Two operations were required. The first was to determine the type of lesion, the second, much more risky, to remove it from the brain
4. The operation was successful. Vanessa doesn’t remember anything from that time, and neither does the return home and many things that happened afterwards. Although I don’t remember it, I needed help with practically everything. My mother helped me with the daily toilet, getting dressed, and especially with walking up the stairs. I had to learn to live with what the disease brought – she says
5. Today, 19-year-old Vanessa admits that everything she experienced from a brain tumor brought about one positive thing – strength. – I know that this baggage of experience will help me in other difficult situations. I am not afraid of them, I am open to what reality brings
6. The experience of the disease made the woman also decide to get involved in the #ThinkPink campaign, organized, among others, by by her aunt, Ewa Chodakowska. – Do not underestimate the symptoms, check ourselves regularly, do not neglect prophylaxis, because it can prevent later dramas (…) The disease does not choose and, unfortunately, it can appear at any age. I am the best example of this
7. More stories can be found on the Onet homepage.

Photo Private Archives / Vanessa One Week After Surgery

Was listened to by Monika Mikołajska

A brain tumor. This diagnosis was like a bolt from the blue

I was only 14 years old when my life changed 180 degrees overnight. It was a very difficult time not only for me but for my whole family. The diagnosis we heard then fell on us like a bolt from the blue. Then everything happened at a cosmic pace.

It was September 2016. A week earlier I had returned from my holiday in Greece, where I had a great time with the whole family. School has just started, the second year of middle school. One morning I woke up with a huge headache – I was literally unable to lift her off the pillow, much less go to school. In the spring of that year, I had a headache. We then did some preliminary tests commissioned by the pediatrician, which did not show anything wrong. The only thing missing was an eye test. That afternoon, my mother made an appointment with an ophthalmologist, hoping that I would get the right glasses and the problem would be solved. Unfortunately, during the examination, it turned out that I had shifted optic nerve discs. That meant there was probably some pressure in the brain. That same evening, I was admitted to the pediatric ward for further examinations.

I remember having a tomography right away and an MRI scan the next morning. The tests made a clear diagnosis: I had a brain tumor located right in the center of my head. On the same day, I was transported by ambulance to Warsaw, to the Children’s Memorial Health Institute. I ended up in the neurosurgery ward.

A risky operation. I was unaware of the seriousness of the situation

I experienced a huge shock in the hospital. I saw children of all ages with their heads partially shaved. They had patches stuck on them in various places. Still, I still believed that what I saw didn’t concern me. Nobody dared to tell me the whole truth. I believed that I was brought here only for tests that would confirm that I was fine and that I would be returning home in a moment. I believed it, the more that the headache subsided … But it was due to anti-edema medications.

The days passed and we waited for the doctors to decide. In the end, it turned out that two operations were necessary at that moment. The first was to determine the type of tumor, the second, much more risky, to remove it from my head.

Photo Private archive

The location of the lesion was extremely unfavorable, the tumor developed in the very center of the brain. Any attempt to pass through the brain in such a deep way could result in a disability for me: loss of sight, hearing, speech, and the ability to move. Unfortunately, leaving the tumor and growing it could also lead to disability. It was terrifying information for my family … Fortunately, I did not realize the seriousness of the situation at the time – I was spared the details. Being aware of my hair loss was a drama enough for me – I was 14 at the time, I didn’t want to be bald. After the treatment, Kajetan Góra, a hairdressing master and wig maker, came to the rescue. This wonderful man selflessly created a wig for me, which helped me a lot mentally until my hair grew back.

The first treatment and examination of the specimen brought hope – the tumor was not malignant. So the doctors decided to excise it and scheduled it for over a month later. Thanks to this, in the meantime, I was able to go home and recharge my batteries. After the second, very difficult operation lasting several hours, I stayed in the hospital for almost a month. However, I do not remember anything from that period, nor do I remember returning home and many things that happened afterwards.

With everything that the disease brought, I had to learn to live

The first two years after the operation were very difficult for me. I was unable to go to school, I studied only at home. I had an individual course of education and this is how I graduated from junior high school. It was impossible to meet friends regularly. I also couldn’t go back to training … and speed skating and training on ice (five times a week) have been my passion and love since the first grade of primary school. For a long time after the operations, I had practically no movement whatsoever, which for me – a person who loves sports – was a difficult experience. Unfortunately, I did not have enough strength.

The second brain surgery left me with vision problems – double vision. My wonderful neurosurgeons hoped that this should pass over time. Unfortunately, in my case, their assumptions did not come true. At first, this problem was terribly bothersome for me. Although I don’t remember it, I needed help with practically everything. My mother helped me with the daily toilet, getting dressed, and especially with walking up the stairs. With what the disease brought, I had to learn to live.

My parents provided me with physical rehabilitation. My mom used to do various brain exercises with me. Of course, I do not remember that when I initially drew, for example, geometric figures or sketch a house with a chimney from which smoke is pouring out … All this made me gradually gain strength and I could slowly start catching up with my studies. After all, I had a huge arrears. I realized that I had to graduate with my peers and go on. Despite my many weaknesses, I focused all my strength on learning. It must have exercised my brain as well and it made me recover faster. I was very motivated.

Thanks to my relatives, I knew that I am not alone with all this

With time, I missed being active more and more. So I decided to go back to my skating as much as possible. I started going to the ice rink. Driving one circle was a challenge, if only because of double vision and a complete lack of condition, but it still gave me great joy. This clumsy, but relatively systematic movement helped me a lot in my recovery. In the end, I was able to do 30 circles! It took two years. Later, it was also time for the first camp, and after three years, I took part in smaller competitions. In this way, the life that my illness had taken away from me slowly returned to me.

Photo Private archive

The greatest strength in this experience, both before and after operations, was given to me by my loved ones. I remember when it all started my aunt Ewa was running the Metamorphosis Week in Greece. When she found out about my illness, she returned to Warsaw on the first plane to support me in the hospital. She tried in every way to distract me from the reality around me. For example, she commissioned me to draw up a plan for our joint trip to London, which she was supposed to take me on shortly after the surgery. My aunt knew that a trip to London had been my big dream for a long time. Obviously, it turned out to be impossible to do in the scheduled time … We finally flew there before Christmas three years later. It was great.

Mother’s second sister also came to Warsaw. She accompanied my mother and me to the hospital day after day, from morning to evening. For those long weeks, my mother did not leave the hospital for a single moment. Like other parents, she slept every night on a mattress placed on the floor by my bed. Dad had to stay home with his younger brother, but I knew the whole family supported me. With your presence and prayer. I could also count on friends. When I was still aware, they wrote to me, called me, said that everything would be fine, that we could make it. It kind of built inner peace in me. I knew that I was not alone with all of this.

I try to use my life as much as I can

The disease made me realize how fragile our life is. I have always known that people get seriously ill, but I never expected it to hurt me. I was so young after all! And yet. Everything that I experienced about the brain tumor also gave me one positive thing – strength. I know that the baggage of experience that I gained thanks to him will also help me in other difficult situations. I am not afraid of them, I am open to what reality brings.

I try to use my life as much as I can. I do not want to feel that in a way I am weaker than my peers, I want to keep up with them and I strive for it. One example is science. I returned to school only in the first year of high school. And it was not easy, especially after two years of exclusively home schooling. There was shock, stress and constant fatigue. This year I wrote my high school diploma. I had to contribute much more to my studies than my peers. The memory with which I had the greatest problems after surgery is still impaired. It takes me longer to absorb the material. When someone only needs to read the text twice, I may have to do it 10 times.

Photo Private archive

Nevertheless, I passed my high school diploma with a good result and I am very satisfied. I got into my dream day studies – clinical dietetics at the Medical University of Warsaw. I also started a school of make-up – it is my great passion. Every other weekend I go to classes and spend 6 hours there. daily. In a word – I try to live my life to the full, pursue my passions, make my dreams come true. I would like to give hope to at least one young person who is struggling with any adversities (e.g. illness) that despite difficult experiences, it is possible to return to normal life, perhaps with even greater strength and gratitude.

The disease does not choose, it can appear at any age. I am an example of this

I found out for myself that the disease can be tricky, that it can come at the least expected moment. By my example, I would like to inspire as many people as possible to take care of themselves and conduct regular examinations. That is why I decided to get involved in the #ThinkPink campaign, organized by my aunt, Ewa Chodakowska and Purella Superfoods. The campaign aims to build awareness of breast cancer and its prevention. As part of the campaign, a limited, pink, healthy bar was also created, 10% of which were sold. is donated to the OnkoCafe Foundation – Together Better and to support women with breast cancer.

Photo Press materials

The topic of cancer does not appear only in the media. We also hear from time to time among our friends that someone has fallen ill, that they are fighting for their life. On social media and beyond, we see photos of adults and children suffering from cancer crying desperately for help. It is very touching.

1. Krystyna Kofta: I fell ill at my own request. I’ve been breeding this cancer for eight years

As we all know – time, i.e. early detection of the disease, is a factor that determines recovery and further life. This is also the case with breast cancer. Unfortunately, many women do not get tested at all. In my opinion, it is crucial to encourage women of all ages to do prophylaxis, because prophylaxis can save lives. It often happens that we feel disturbing symptoms, but out of fear we prefer not to know what is happening to us. We postpone the visit to the doctor, and time works to our disadvantage. We must remember that the mere news of the disease does not equal a death sentence. If detected early, cancer can even be completely curable. That is why we should not ignore the symptoms, let us examine ourselves regularly, and let us not neglect prophylaxis, because it can prevent further dramas.

Photo Private archive

The motto of this year’s #ThinkPink campaign is intergenerationality. It often seems to us that due to our age or the fact that we lead a healthy lifestyle, the disease will not affect us. Nothing could be more wrong. The disease does not choose and, unfortunately, it can appear at any age. I am the best example of this, which is why the slogan of this action is so close to me. I was young, practiced sports, tried to live a healthy life, but it did not save me.

I would like to advise all those who struggle with illness or other adversities to try to focus on what is good in this difficult time. To make them believe that better days await them. Hope gives strength, and hope is necessary to get straight. Let’s not close ourselves to the world, let’s look for any purpose for ourselves – even the smallest one, and focus on it. Let’s fight for ourselves – we only have one life.

I chose to talk about my illness precisely to encourage others to get regular checkups and ignore malaise, and to show that such a difficult experience does not have to be the end of the world. You can come out of it as winners, stronger, more aware of the value of life. This could be the beginning of something new. Of course, not every story ends well, but we always have to believe, try, fight for ourselves. We still have a lot of good to do in life.

You may be interested in:

1. The brother was trapped in his own body. Only the eyes and the brain remained operational. [SISTER’S LETTER]
2. «Dad’s diagnosis: lung cancer with head metastasis. But the worst has just come ». [DAUGHTER’S LETTER]
3. Atypical symptoms of breast cancer. The oncologist advises what to look for

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.