Grace Wethor: A Teenager With Brain Cancer Who is Making a Difference
By Samantha Roskind
Grace Wethor is a unique teenager. Grace grew up in Minnesota. Growing up, she participated in many hobbies and interests such as, figure skating, circus performing, and art. However, when Grace reached her teenage years, she started to feel sick, and consequently lost her enthusiasm. When Grace visited pediatricians to find out what was going on, all told her that she was depressed, something that is common in many teenagers. Then, one doctor believed she may have had mono, so Grace got blood tests. The results were abnormal, and imaging of her head was abnormal. It was revealed that Grace was diagnosed with a brain tumor. For Grace, surgery and radiation therapy was not possible, and doctors suspected she had less than a 1% chance to survive five years.
Although Grace was facing such dire prospects, she continued to live positively. She possessed a steady mindset and believed that she was, “lucky to have things she was passionate about”. Grace decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress. She started working with companies like Teen Vogue that celebrate people embracing their true selves. She became the spokesperson for the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation.
One of Grace’s passions is music therapy, as it has helped her during difficult times. Music therapy is shown to change the brain physically and chemically and help people who can’t take traditional medications. She founded “We Can Beat This” which connects patients to the healing properties of music therapy. You can learn more about the program and mission here: https://www.wecanbeatsthis.com/.
Grace is living her dream while also living with a brain tumor. Grace acknowledged that her passions help her live positively with her diagnosis. Grace’s experience living with brain cancer has changed her for the better. She said, “Such a life-changing event broadens your perspective. You can’t go back to being oblivious or naive. You can’t go back to just being a gossiper in high school.” Grace is a firm believer in motivating all children to pursue their passions no matter their situation. She wrote a book describing her experiences, You’re So Lucky and gave a Ted Talk https://youtu.be/_gKzsPQvJkw explaining how learning her medical diagnosis was a blessing because it encouraged her to live her life to the fullest now.
In all, Grace’s story should remind us that no matter the obstacle, living with a positive mindset acts as a cure for all diagnoses.
Help Victims of Hurricane Dorian
By Eliza Fogel
Hurricane Dorian is the first major storm to hit the Caribbean this hurricane season. Along with the Caribbean, Dorian affected the east coast of Florida, Georgia, South, and North Carolina. This powerful storm slammed into the Bahamas as a category 5 filled with strong winds and heavy downpours which have caused unprecedented flooding and damage to countless businesses and homes. Rescue workers are working to assist individuals and families trapped inside their homes while organizations and aid relief are trying to provide necessities like food, shelter, cleaning supplies, and water to those in need. Reporters say that approximately 70,000 people have been left needing food, shelter, medical aid, and water. Bahamian prime minister Humberto reports the total number of deaths to be 50 but that hundreds of people are missing and this number is expected to rise.
The disastrous effects of Hurricane Dorian have been attributed to climate change. United States Secretary General Antionio Gueterres tells reporters that Dorian should be a wake up call for the world about the dangers of climate change and just how real it is, “Climate change is running faster than we are. We need to reverse this trend.” Gueterres has also pledged financial aid to a Miami based hurricane relief group. The estimate cost for aid has been approximated in the billions of dollars, and the Bahamas cannot be expected to pay for this alone.
For those interested in funding long-term supper for the communities affected, you can donate to the Center for Diseased Philanthropy, a trusted philanthropic partner of Google and Facebook. This fund allows donors to give support recovery needs that will continue to be greatly needed long after our attention and the media’s attention has moved on to other events. You may also make donations to the Red Cross and UNICEF, two widely known service organizations that help aid people in crisis around the world.
