Brain Tumor Blues — Brittany’s Tumor GoFundMe
Story
Now this is a story all about how…
My life got flipped-turned upside down…
And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there,
I’ll tell you how I… got diagnosed with a brain tumor.
When 2025 kicked off, brain surgery was definitely not on my vision board—but here we are.
In October 2024, while working one evening at the Apple Store, I was suddenly hit with a wave of vertigo so intense it knocked me out of my chair. A lot of people chalked it up to burnout—and sure, I was burning the candle at both ends—but something deeper didn’t feel right.
Given my symptoms and family history, I feared I might be heading toward an MS diagnosis. I went to see my mom’s MS specialist, who agreed that something was off and scheduled an MRI for February 2025.
The MRI (which suck for the record) was scheduled for February 5th. I was told to expect results in 7–10 days. But the very next night, fresh out of the shower, I got a MyChart notification that my results were in. Sitting on my bed, scanning through unfamiliar medical terms, two sentences jumped out at me:
“Mildly heterogeneous extra-axial mass centered along the right cerebellopontine angle measures 18 x 18 mm. There is possible extension into the right internal auditory canal.”
Insert Panic.
The following month was a blur. I was diagnosed with a brain tumor called an Acoustic Neuroma (AN)—also known as a Vestibular Schwannoma. Thankfully (and still very hopefully), it’s a non-cancerous, slow-growing tumor. But it grows on your vestibular nerve (which controls balance) and often pushes into the ear canal, putting pressure on other critical nerves—like the facial nerve.
Since then, I’ve had more MRIs and met with a whole lineup of specialists: an ENT neuro, a neuro-ophthalmologist, and several neurosurgeons. We’ve confirmed that the tumor is roughly 1.7 cm—about the size of a grape—and starting to cause real symptoms: balance issues, intermittent motor skill problems, and bouts of exhaustion that knock me out for days. Thankfully, my hearing is still intact, and I haven’t had facial paralysis.
I met with teams in Pittsburgh and San Diego before ultimately landing on a world-class neurosurgical team at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where I’m scheduled for surgery on September 17th, 2025.
Why I’m Asking for Help
I’m incredibly fortunate to work for a company that offers great benefits. But even with that support, this year is going to be financially tough. Surgery is out of state, which means added costs for travel, lodging, food, and recovery. I’ll also be on short-term disability for at least three months, which cuts my income significantly.
Any help you’re able to give would go toward:
Medical bills + deductible
Travel and lodging for me and family
Therapy and post-op care
Living expenses during recovery
Any remaining funds will support ongoing care after this year
Whether you donate, share this, or just send a kind message—thank you. Your support means the world to me.
Brittany
Organizers :
Brittany Pearson is organizing this fundraiser.