A rare brain cancer was found in Taletha Henderson after an accident. She says she is thankful to be alive.
Henderson talked privately with News 9’s Alexis Young about her amazing journey to recovery.
Henderson’s trouble started when she had muscle cramps that wouldn’t go away. At first, doctors didn’t pay attention to her complaints and gave her muscle relaxers, but the pain got worse.
When she was walking home and was hit by a car that was being chased by police, the full extent of her injuries became clear. Henderson said, “It hurt me like I’ve never hurt before.”
Henderson was rushed to the emergency room and got help right away, but her neck pain didn’t go away.
Painkillers didn’t help for a while, but then a surprise finding showed what was hurting her: she had ependymoma, a rare form of brain cancer that usually affects children.
“The person who took the picture of the MRI got a little too high, and they caught a piece of a brain tumor running down my spine…”It was crazy and wonderful at the same time. I was mad at first, but I don’t know where I would be now if that man hadn’t hit me that day,” Henderson said.
Henderson was sent to neurologist Dr. Ian Dunn and had radiation therapy with Dr. James Battiste.
“I remember the first time I met her…”It was very clear what we needed to do.” Dunn said. “These operations aren’t easy. Several hours. While working on the brain’s most delicate parts under a microscope.
Later, a fertility doctor told her that the radiation might make it harder for her to have children. But she said that two years ago, her prayers were answered even though she was getting treatment.
“I’ve prayed against it ever since she told me that.” Soon after, I had a child. It was in 2023, and I gave birth naturally, Henderson said.
Henderson hasn’t had cancer in four years, and he is celebrating on Saturday.
She did say, though, that her story brings up a bigger problem in the medical field: the need for more variety.
Henderson wants more African Americans to work in healthcare and stresses how important it is to have open talks about health disparities.