My name is Tom Manuel, I’m 60 years old and this is my story.

I was a very active man with a job for 18 as a working supervisor for a township, working on the roads as I kept up the maintenance of equipment and road maintenance. I started having some mild headaches that were just there for about three months. I had a few severe ones and decided to contact my PCP and was sent for a MRI.

On November 30th, 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma. My wife and I felt like we hit a brick wall. I was scheduled for surgery on December 8th, 2022 at Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, came home to recover the next day and started chemo and radiation for thirty days. No progression. I had a month-long break then a scan showed some regrowth. I was changed to a different chemo medication and then the scan in two months showed more regrowth because that chemo was not working. I started a maintenance drug along with two different aggressive chemos. There were several stable scans but then showed more progression.

Next I had two Gamma knife procedures that took care of some sprouts but now there was progression around the resection cavity.

As of May 2nd, 2023, they have stopped treatment. I was in the hospital from May 2nd through May 16th because of some falls. I tried physical therapy to get my strength up to be home with my family. Hopefully I can at least keep doing my maintenance drug to keep the swelling down in my brain. It is very hard for me to travel to Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh but we just keep doing “one day at a time!”

I want to thank Jeff Bryant who orchestrated with Shawn from 84 Lumber for the donation of wood to build this beautiful ramp and the Julie Bryant Foundation for the generous gift cards to make it easier for me to come home. This was truly a blessing!