The last ten years of Crystal Wolshin’s life has been nothing short of a nightmare. But for those closest to her, she is an inspiration and hero. Crystal was first diagnosed with a rare, aggressive and malignant brain tumor in
The last ten years of Crystal Wolshin’s life has been nothing short of a nightmare. But for those closest to her, she is an inspiration and hero.
Crystal was first diagnosed with a rare, aggressive and malignant brain tumor in 2003. At age 15, she was given six to eight months to live.
On Oct. 3, she celebrated her 25th birthday, along with ten years of survival. But her fight for life is ongoing.
Crystal underwent her fourth open-brain surgery Oct. 23 to remove the cancerous tumor, which had grown an additional 6 centimeters, making it completely debilitating. Her fifth surgery followed just two days later when doctors decided there was more to be removed.
“Post surgery, the neurologist did share they didn’t get as much tumor out as they thought the first surgery, but feel confident they got what they wanted out the second time around,” Wolshin’s sister, Kandace, wrote in an Oct. 25 blog post. The blog is dedicated to updating family and friends on her progress. “It’s a roller coaster here, we never know what to expect. All in all, Crystal is continuing to fight this tumor. It will be a long, slow road to recovery, but she’s ready to keep on fighting.”
Crystal is currently in a neuro-rehabilitation therapy program at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, where she is learning how to walk again, her father Steve Wolshin said by phone Oct. 31.
“Terrible” and “tough” are the words he used to describe his daughter’s situation.
But Crystal keeps a positive attitude, and a smile.
“I’m doing okay … not great,” she said over the phone Oct. 31. “It’s my second day (of therapy) today and we made some progress. I have to have somebody with me if I want to get up and walk … I can’t do anything by myself.”
The back-to-back surgeries has left her weak on the left side of her body, with little mobility in her hand.
“My left arm is significantly weaker than it was before,” she said. “The tumor is on the right side of the brain, which effects the left side of the body.”
Following rehab therapy, Crystal says she will “most likely” undergo another round of chemotherapy and radiation.
Crystal was born and ra ised on Kaua‘i and was a sophomore at Kapa‘a High School when first diagnosed. Since then, she has undergone open-brain surgeries in Honolulu, Rochester, Minn., and Phoenix, and two different forms of chemotherapy treatments in 2007 and 2008. In addition, she has suffered from seizures, emotional and physical problems and has been hospitalized numerous times, according to the blog.
Crystal says the reason she is still alive is because of to her faith, family and friends, which she talked about in a YouTube video posted Oct. 19, four days before surgery.
“The one thing that I would want people to remember about having a terminal illness … is that you cannot run from it and you cannot do it alone,” she said. “Don’t think of yourself as someone who is so high and mighty that you can do it alone, because you really can’t do it alone. You need someone next to you, you know? God is someone who can pull you through. Friends and family are people who can pull you through. For me, I have both and I am so grateful that I do.”
Crystal believes her illness is part of God’s plan and that something positive will ultimately come from it.
“I am willing to let Him use me for whatever it is He wants to use me for,” she said in her video. “God’s using me for a purpose, to make a point, to show people that, you know, He is real, He is evident … I should be dead, I should not be here sitting, talking to you. But I’m here. I’m alive and I think that’s why.”
Crystal said she wants to thank everyone for their prayers and support.
“Keep praying,” she said.
A fundraising account has been set up on GiveForward for those wanting to make donations to offset medical and travel costs for Crystal and her family for her ongoing treatment. So far, $13,936 has been raised toward the family’s goal of $100,000. For more information visit www.giveforward.com/crystalsfight4life.
“You are the most amazing and courageous young woman that I know,” Cindy Seeley wrote in a message with her donation.
“The faith that you have in Christ Jesus is a true blessing and inspiration to all of us. I do know that he will be watching over you.”
It is this kind of support that the family says is getting them through such hard times.
“We’re all so thankful to have such an amazing support group,” Kandace wrote. “We couldn’t imagine getting through this without you all.”
Crystal and her family encourage the public to follow her progress and offer words of support by visiting the Crystal’s Footprints page at crystalsfootprints.com.
• Chris D’Angelo, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 241) or lifestyle@thegardenisland.com.
