Garrett Whelan passed away on October 5th, 2023, after a long and courageous battle with glioblastoma. In life, Garrett was a hero to everyone he came across, not because he set out to be, but because he was so eager to help, listen, or simply offer kindness and friendship. Garrett’s generosity only grew after his diagnosis; as he battled his own cancer, he offered his time and energy to talk to others who had been diagnosed with brain tumors, often discussing how to stay positive and hopeful, how to support yourself through treatment with proper exercise and nutrition, where to look to for help, information, or trials. Frequently, Garrett could be seen sitting and talking to other patients or their families after his treatment was completed for the day. He would stay and hold the hand of a patient’s family member who had unexpectedly become a caretaker and had their own fears and challenges, or he would hand out his number and take calls from other patients who just needed a compassionate ear.

 

              Garrett dreamed that he would continue fighting and have the ability to start a foundation that would allow him to reach more people with this kind of hope and support, as well as the ability to access treatment that could become too much of a financial burden for families. We realized the need for this when Garrett began daily treatment two hours away from home; there was not enough housing at the hospital to accommodate all of the patients in need, and our only option was to drive a four-hour round trip in the middle of winter or access a hotel or Airbnb. We then discovered that our benefits only covered the first few rounds of chemotherapy pills, and we had reached our “dollar limit.” We were told that we could apply for an assistance program, but we might not hear back for a couple of months – a difficult situation because we needed two rounds of the medication during that time. We were lucky that we were able to work through these things. Still, it was an eye-opening experience that made Garrett realize that we need to find a way to help because if we are facing these things – others are as well. Not all of those people have the opportunity to continue on against these challenges.

 

               Garrett also hoped that by starting this foundation, we would raise awareness and help bring funding and additional research to the treatment of brain tumors, as there have been very few new developments in the last decade and none approved in Canada. We know that we can offer families a little bit of help and hope, and we know that if we stay on this mission and raise awareness, we can increase the life expectancy of brain tumor patients.