Patient Stories
Honest Prognosis Gives Hope  Mrs. Uta Bangay
In the fall of 1982, Mrs. Bangay, a healthy and active mother of three boys began experiencing unexplained bouts of headaches and double vision. Visits to her family physician and several referrals to an eye specialist confirmed that she was suffering from Meningioma - a noncancerous brain tumour that originates in the cells of the outer covering of the brain, within the skull, or in the spinal canal.
Although Mrs. Bangay lived in North Bay, she was referred to Sunnybrook. In March 1983, her conditioned was monitored for one week by Dr. Charles Tator, past Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, and in August further testing revealed that the tumour was within her skull and around the optic nerve. The tumour was removed the following March. “I was very fortunate because Dr. Tator performed my surgery. He gave my husband and eldest son an honest prognosis that gave us hope,” says Mrs. Bangay. Six months later a follow up CT scan revealed the tumour had returned and she received two months of radiation treatments on both sides of her head at the Odette Cancer Centre. In September 2002, renewed episodes of pain indicated that something was wrong. Testing confirmed that the tumour had returned, but this time around was inoperable. Her follow up MRI noted that the tumour has not changed in size or shape. Mrs. Bangay is hopeful that her challenges are behind her. “I’m now scheduled for an MRI every May, just to make sure it’s still in the “no change” mode.” Learn more about the Odette Cancer Centre
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