Neurology Patient Stories

Kaidra Froelich was terrified by the brain cancer diagnosis that brought her to Mayo Clinic. But her expert surgical team got rid of the tumor. Then the disease came back. Now Kaidra and her Mayo team are determined to beat the cancer a second time as her family and friends rally around her.

When a cavernous malformation was discovered in her brain, Allison Nilsen turned to Mayo Clinic for answers. The care and treatment she's received at Mayo has allowed her to complete her college degree and continue doing what she loves.

For years, Linda Feges has relied on a multidisciplinary care team at Mayo Clinic to help her address symptoms related to movement disorders. Recently, that team also opened the door for Linda to receive treatment for an odd lump on her face. Now, the lump is gone, and Linda is grateful for the comprehensive, compassionate care she's received.

When Katie Garrison embarked on treatment for a brain tumor, she did so supported by her husband, Joe. Midway through her journey, however, Joe died from complications due to his own cancer, and Katie leaned on her Mayo Clinic care team. Now, with their compassionate care and customized therapies, Katie continues to make encouraging progress.

On a summer evening in July 2018, Dan Boswell was hit by a stroke. His wife's quick action to summon emergency help likely saved his life. Today, with the help of his Mayo Clinic team, Dan is doing all he can to recover from the stroke and meet his goal of returning to work.

Joyce Gabbert came to Mayo Clinic for treatment of a rare form of head and neck cancer. But she soon learned that wasn't the only cancer diagnosis she was facing. At that point, a coordinated care team came together to create a treatment plan that put Joyce on the path to becoming cancer-free.

Rich Bradley was about to travel to Europe to learn more about his late uncle's heroism during World War II when he suddenly faced a battle of his own — a severe form of Guillain-Barre syndrome that required specialized care at Mayo Clinic.

Diagnosed with a brain tumor, Marrissa Janssen was scared. Her biggest fear was that doctors wouldn't be able to get rid of the entire mass. But after consulting with experts at Mayo Clinic, Marrissa's fear turned to hope. Now, after surgery and proton beam therapy, the tumor is gone.

For Marisa Bella, living with a rare neurological condition meant managing sustained pain and an unnatural head position, as well as dealing with unwanted reactions from strangers. For years Marisa navigated life while suffering the physical, mental and emotional effects of her illness. That all changed in 2018 when a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon helped her get her life back.

Last summer, Scott Walling was in excruciating pain, and he could barely walk. Today he's pain-free and enjoying his favorite hobbies again, thanks to a new procedure offered by Mayo Clinic's Department of Neurosurgery.

It took some time to discover the source of the troubling symptoms that plagued Dorothy Sorlie. But once she was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, neurosurgery fixed the problem and allowed Dorothy to return to the activities she loves.

More than a decade after nerve transfer surgery restored mobility to his right shoulder, Peter Rechenberg is not only able to do Olympic lifts, he's using his experience at Mayo Clinic to bring healing to others.