Jeffrey Rowe
Knoxville, TN
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I am a professional speaker and corporate trainer. I have my own business, the Office of Positive Impact, and teach business professionals, educators and young adults that communication and action are the keys to having a positive impact in business and life.
I fell in love with cycling at the age of 12 growing up in Greencastle, Indiana. The rural roads, lined with cattle pastures and corn fields, were filled with college students preparing for the Little 500. “Breaking Away” basically in my own back yard.
My battle with brain cancer at age 17 and the after-effects took me away from riding for too long. I am back on the bike 20-years later and loving every minute of it! Being a part of the Spokes of Hope Tour in 2009 was one of the most emotionally fulfilling events in my life. I look forward to working with my fellow CCC’ers to make it a nationwide annual event.
In 2002, I created the Cancer Survivor Coin™, a symbol of pride and achievement for fellow cancer warriors. I get a great sense of joy when I give one to survivors that I meet for the first time.
I enjoy kayaking, cycling, reading, watching the Tour in July and spending time with my family. My beautiful wife, Lucie, our amazing daughter, Aneshka, and I live in Knoxville, TN. Riding in the Smoky Mountains has been challenging and fun.
Cancer Overview:
General Cancer Type: Brain
Specific Cancer Type: Diffuse Fibrillary Astrocytoma
Treatment Summary:
I experienced my first grand mal seizure during spring break of my junior year in high school. The family doctor passed it off as hyperventilation. This was all and well until a few months later when I went for my summer physical. The sports medicine group would not approve me to participate in any events until the true cause of the seizure was determined. After several tests and a lot of poking and proding an MRI revealed a tumor the size of a large egg located 3" deep in the left temporal lobe. The biopsy determined the mass to be a diffuse fibrillary astrocytoma. The doctors in Indianapolis wanted to take a wait (90 days) and see approach.
One week after the biopsy, my fathers job transferred him out of state to Onalaska, Wisconsin. One week before the start of my senior year in high school we moved. Previously we had discussed the possibility of me staying to finish the final year of prep in our home town but with the recent tumor diagnoses the decision was easy enough; stay with the family! One week after arriving in our new town I experienced my second grand mal seizure, during football practice.
I was referred to the medical mecca known as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (2-3 hour drive). The doctors decided that the grade II and III tumor needed to be dealt with immediately. Radiation was chosen over surgery. I underwent 33 radiation treatments. It was a horrible time and I a can still vividly remember each of those 33 morning trips (21 with my Dad, 2 with my brother, and 9 with my Mom). My family was scared and, like most, did not know how to handle it (OK, as if I knew how to handle it!) All in all, they were wonderful and supportive. As were the doctors at Mayo Clinic.
On a positive note, the final treatment occured on October 31 which brings a great deal of joy and celebration for me each year on Halloween!
The after effects of the brain tumor: memory problems, depression, 4th nerve palsy causing double vision, seizures and other red flags that bring about the fear of re-occurrence. While all of these difficulties have, at times, set me back into the roll of victim I am always aware and ever so proud to be a cancer survivor! The Power to Live is definitely inside, I sometimes may forget where it is but it is definitely there!
Stories:
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