ATLANTA — North Georgia has a new weapon to help families fight and beat brain tumors.
The center, inside Emory University, has been in the works for five years. it finally opened this spring.
Channel 2’s Jorge Estevez spoke to the doctor who made it happen.
Marisa Diaz is one week into recovery from brain surgery.
“All of my nurses, doctors, surgeons have been wonderful,” she said.
A scan shows her brain tumor diagnosed as Stage 3 before her 20th birthday.
At age 23, she has run to raise money that will go to help the Winship Cancer Institute’s Brain Tumor Center at Emory University.
“It’s got to be such a gift to know that there is a team of people devoted to patients just like you,” Estevez said.
“Yes, and they care more than I could ever imagine,” Diaz said.
Leading her team is Dr. Edjah Nduom, who is also the center’s director.
“I know that we’re not just focused on their care, we’re focused on the quality of life,” he said.
Nduom has spent the past five years recruiting specialists for this new comprehensive brain tumor center.
“So these are oncologists, cancer doctors, that all they do day in and day out is try and come up with new treatments for patients dealing with brain tumors,” he said.
It’s one place where patients can get what they need from diagnosis to treatment to recovery.
“(It’s) something that would make sure that no one would ever feel they need to leave the state to get the best brain tumor care that’s possible,” Nduom said.
Nduom also treated Channel 2 Action News’s friend and colleague Jovita Moore, who lost her seven-month battle with a glioblastoma.
Her legacy lives on. She donated her tumor to research.
“And try and see if there are things that are unique about that tumor versus the landscape and also whether that information changes how we think about tumors all together,” Nduom said.
Jovita’s fight was also a source of inspiration for patients like Marissa.
“I remember seeing it on the news about her. It was still shocking ,” Diaz said.
Jovita’s fight led to the North Georgia National Brain Tumor Walk, and Diaz plans on going.
And continuing Jovita’s legacy, Channel 2’s parent company Cox Media Group offers the Jovita Moore Memorial Scholarship, which awards $25,000 to students pursuing journalism careers.
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