‘I feel like Rocky Balboa every day’: Montreal survivor shares journey during Brain Tumour Awareness Month

Two surgeries for a brain tumour, but also a high school diploma and a university degree.

In 14 years, Montrealer Nicholas Gavrielatos experienced extraordinary challenges with extraordinary hope and courage.

“I don’t see it as a negative, as a curse,” he said. “I see it as a gift.”

When Gavrielatos was only 15 years old, during an MRI after an injury, doctors discovered a tumour in his left frontal lobe requiring surgery.

The procedure was successful, but 10 years later — the tumor returned, just as Gavrielatos was about to begin writing his master’s thesis. A second surgery was needed and despite months of physical and cognitive challenges, he completed his master’s program at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.

“I just wanted to show to the people around me, show to my little cousins, show to my friends, show to my family that it really doesn’t matter what happens to you in life,” he said. “You get up, you get back in the game, you keep fighting.”

“I feel like Rocky Balboa every day,”

-Nicholas Gavrielatos

Gavrielatos continues to be seen by his neurosurgeon, Dr. Kevin Petrecca.

“He’s had his challenges with tumor surgeries both directly related to interventions in his brain and also the anxieties and challenges that come with not knowing what your future is,” explained the surgeon at the Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital (Neuro).

“I think that’s the hardest part,” he added. “We say we think we’re going to get you through your life without this tumor affecting you in a profound way, but that’s hard to believe when you’re a patient. You go on the internet, you read negative things. So I think that we learn from him, he learns from us, and I think together we’re doing a good job.”

May is Brain Tumour Awareness Month

A time of the year extremely important in encouraging conversations, advancing research and supporting those affected says Dr. Petrecca, on May being Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

“Brain cancers are like rank number 13 on the list of cancers in Canada behind skin cancers, breast cancers, lung cancers,” he explained.

“So the amount of resources government, essentially government-funded research is actually low relative to all the other ones because it’s kind of proportional and that makes sense,” added Dr. Petrecca.

“But that does not take into account the devastation of the disease when you have a cancer in your brain. It’s different from another part of the body.”

“Why is brain cancer awareness so important?” said Dr. Petrecca. “Because the community advocates for funding.”

Gavrielatos continues to be followed at The Neuro and as a way of giving back, he plans on organizing a fundraiser.             

“Whatever I can do in a way, you know, to help those that are going to come after me, that’s important,” he said.

Gavrielatos shared a message for those affected by brain tumours:

“Fight when you’re scared, fight when you’re tired, fight when you’re nervous, fight when you’re anxious,” he said.

“You’re going to be so tired you think you can’t even blink,” he added. “You still have to find it within you to keep fighting.”