Guests: Gilles Cayouette (a patient at the Montreal Neurological Hospital) and Maria Hamakiotis (a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the MUHC Brain Tumour Program)
June 8, 2009 [1]
Gilles Cayouette was 53 years old, a successful businessman, with a loving family, and plans to renovate his cottage in the coming summer. After complaining of severe headaches, Gilles went for a check-up with his local GP; by the end of the day he had been sent for a CT-scan and referred to a neurosurgeon at the Montreal Neurological Hospital. Gilles was told that a large cancerous brain tumour called glioblastoma multiform (GBM) was threatening his life. Surgery was needed urgently – in the next 48 hours – he was told he might not survive.
But Gilles did survive – he beat brain cancer and wrote a book about his diagnosis, treatment and recovery (called “A Deadly Intruder”) to give hope and strength to others going through the same life-changing ordeal. Gilles joins us in the studio along with Maria Hamakiotis – a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the MUHC Brain Tumour Program – to talk us about his incredible journey.
Our guest interviews follow the World News In Three Medical Minutes – a regular feature on Health Matters where we summarize the cutting edge medical stories making headlines around the world.
If you have any ideas and suggestions for future shows please contact: healthmatters@muhc.mcgill.ca [2].