Cherise Fleming set out to make that word less ugly, less scary. Interviewed on television and featured in an inspiring article in Redbook Magazine, her fierce courage and strength told the story of what a tenacious fighter and a kind advocate she was for everyone battling this disease.
Cherise was diagnosed at age 21. We would later come to realize that she’d had the brain tumor from as far back into childhood as she could remember. Her diagnosis ultimately resulted from panic attacks caused by silent seizures that no one knew were occurring. The unseen seizures, referred to as absence seizures, were something Cherise experienced from her earliest memories. Because of that, she thought it was completely normal and assumed everyone had these absent (zone-out) moments. However, when those seizures intensified in frequency and length, along with low-grade fevers and fatigue, she began to have panic attacks, which sent her to the doctor seeking answers.
After months of testing, a couple of misdiagnoses, and those second and third doctors’ opinions, we landed on the devastating news that Cher had a brain tumor carrying a seven-year survival rate. As a family, our minds were a swirl with fear and confusion. While we all scrambled over what to do next, Cherise sat back and decided she would work to defy those odds while living the fullest life possible from that moment forward. This begs the question, what is a full life? Does it require 90 years or 5 years?
Cherise chose to believe that it had more to do with “what” you put into that time than the time itself.
Over the course of 26 years, Cherise charged at that tumor with everything in the arsenal (and by the way, she “named” the tumor so that she could address it directly during her struggles & tell it exactly where to go 😉 LOL). She underwent 4 brain surgeries, 4 courses of chemotherapy, clinical trials, 1 course of standard radiation and 1 course of proton beam radiation. During those years of treatment, she participated in intense studies of her own brain tumor in order to help develop new treatments for men, women and children suffering from this disease. “She spent her life leading the way for more research to help others,” said Naomi Berkowitz, former director of the American Brain Tumor Association. “She’s an inspiration to everyone who meets her.” Cherise went on to receive the “Keeping the Faith” award from the Head for the Cure Foundation for her tireless work toward defeating this disease. Even today, although she’s busy dancing in heaven, her contributions continue to carry on that work.
Incredibly, during her periods of remission, Cherise became a one-on-one caregiver for both her mother-in-law and father-in-law, who each at different times fought cancer of their own. Early on, her mother-in-law succumbed to breast cancer, and later her father-in-law succumbed to lung cancer. Sadly she understood their battle all too well. But this made her specially equipped to meet both their physical and emotional needs during the intense bouts of fear and illness resulting from chemotherapy and radiation. Although it was challenging, she was there for them on an almost daily basis during their most difficult days, right up to their final moments.
Cherise raised two remarkable children. She was actually advised against having children because the growth hormone produced in pregnancy might stimulate her brain tumor growth. But knowing that her time may be limited, she wasn’t interested in taking things off of her life’s vision board; she was more interested in bringing dreams to life. She went against doctor recommendations and risked her life not once but twice to achieve that miracle blessing.
Cherise battled her relentless brain tumor for nearly 30 years, all the while pushing through the despair and fear, pushing through the weakness and pain, setting health and happiness goals to improve and enrich her life and the lives of others. She used lipstick and eyeliner to write words of affirmation and positivity everywhere; on her mirrors, her windows, and her car windshield saying things like, “I am strong!”, “I have love!” and “Today is yesterday’s tomorrow, and we are still here!” To help keep her body and mind clear and healthy, she became a vegetarian and a tri-athlete. Cher also began to speak out on humanitarian issues and involved herself in political efforts. Basically, she decided to use her time to make as much of a positive impact in the world as she could.
No matter where she was in her treatment, Cher continued to raise money and awareness for brain tumor research and support through ice climbing and mountaineering exploits, Triathlons, 5K’s, fundraising events, and publicity. She took the proverbial lemon and made it into lemonade. Cherise would say, “If I can do this, I know I can do anything.”
One of her most notable efforts is when she gathered a group of family and friends and assembled them into a climbing team. The event was called, Cherise Climbs for a Cause. They ventured to an extremely remote area in Canada called Agawa Canyon. There, she took to scaling an over 350-foot frozen waterfall in Huayhuash (pronounced “why wash”) Canyon. Cherise became the first-ever female ascent of this frozen beast! She loved it! Cherise went on to host additional benefits donating 100% of the proceeds to help support brain tumor medical research. “Being in the mountains became a celebration of life for her,” says her mother, Thelma Fleming. It’s about controlling what you can control because you can’t always control the disease.
Cherise once said, “This disease has been both a curse and a blessing.” The key is to share your energy, as much or as little as you have to give. Find that purpose that will live beyond yourself to bless others, and then pour into it. There will be days when there is no energy, and the tears will fall. But grab onto those days when love and focus enable your purpose and go for it. Live your life to the fullest.
