In November of 2017, Washington County citizen Pam Stewart was diagnosed with Stage IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), a rare form of brain cancer which is often referred to as “The Terminator.”
Following her diagnosis, Stewart received outstanding care from some of the best medical professionals at Duke University.
“Duke guided my treatment plan and has followed me since December 2017,” said Stewart. She added, “I undergo frequent MRIs at Duke and will for the rest of my life.”
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and infiltrative forms of cancer, easily able to quickly spread into other areas of the brain. The median survival following diagnosis is 15 to 18 months, and the five-year survival rate for GBM patients is only 6.8 percent.
Stewart explained that through research, she learned there are limited resources for treatment of brain cancer. In the past 30 years, there have only been four drugs and one device approved by the Food and Drug Administration for GBM.
“Brain cancer research is the most underfunded of all cancer research, and I also learned that brain cancer treatment is the most expensive cancer to treat, often leaving patients and families with major financial hardship,” said Stewart.
In April of 2019, Pam Stewart founded the “Terminator 5K and One-Mile Walk” to raise awareness and funds for the patients and families of those suffering with cancer; the inaugural event raised $10,540 which was donated to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University.
In 2020, the Pam Stewart Cancer Foundation, Inc. (PSCF), a 501(c)3 entity, was formed. Funds raised through the Pam Stewart Cancer Fund will be used to support brain cancer research at Duke University, as well as to aid those diagnosed with brain cancer through a grant up to $2,000 to be used towards medical expenses, travel expenses for treatment, housing, etc.
This year’s Terminator 5K will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 16 at Brentwood School located at 725 Linton Road in Sandersville; the one-mile walk will follow. Proceeds from this event will be donated to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University for brain cancer research and the Pam Stewart Cancer Foundation to help individuals, and their families, who are battling cancer.
To learn more about the Terminator 5K and One-Mile Walk, visit the Pam Stewart Cancer Foundation website at pamstewartcf.com.
