For Wendy Powell and her son, Ryan, the fight against glioblastoma has been deeply personal. In 2015, while making lunch together, Ryan noticed something was wrong. His mother’s lip began to droop and she suddenly could not speak. Ryan and his father, Terry, rushed her to the hospital, where testing revealed a brain tumor. Following surgery, it was confirmed to be glioblastoma.
The family turned to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke for care. Under the guidance of Katherine Peters, MD, Wendy began treatment. She completed one round of chemotherapy and radiation before it was paused due to low white blood cell counts. She later resumed radiation for a short period, and since that time, she has had no tumor recurrence.
Now, more than ten years later, Wendy continues routine MRIs with no signs of the tumor returning. The family credits faith, resilience, and the care at Duke for her remarkable outcome. “We do not fully understand why the tumor has not returned,” Ryan said. “We leave it to faith.”
Duke has become a second family to them. “They have always held a very special place in our hearts,” Ryan said. Wendy continues to face challenges with neuropathy and drop foot, but Ryan remains in awe of her strength. “She has been an absolute warrior.”
One moment from those early days remains vivid for Ryan. A former professional baseball player, he had retired from the game, but after hearing the prognosis, Wendy told her son, “Ryan, I want to see you play again.” It was a turning point. “I told her, I will come out of retirement if you promise me to keep fighting,” Ryan recalled.
Ryan rejoined the Baltimore Orioles organization, a decision fueled by his mother’s fight and their shared belief in hope. Their story was featured in an ESPN documentary and was later selected to be part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ryan donated a jersey and letter to Duke’s brain tumor clinic, offering encouragement to families facing similar battles.
“We are extremely blessed,” Ryan said. “And we want to provide hope to others. It is so important in this fight.”
During a recent visit to Duke, Ryan spent time with pediatric patients, sharing encouragement and signed baseballs. “There is hope,” he said. “And sometimes, that makes all the difference.”