In Conversation: Karen DeBonis

"Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived" 

Can a woman who never learned to stand up for herself find the courage to speak up for her son? Join us and find out.

Karen is a happily married, slightly frazzled mother of two when her eight-year-old son, Matthew, develops a strange eye-rolling tic. Matthew's tics quickly multiply. He becomes clumsy and lethargic, a gifted program dropout. Karen tries to get her husband and their pediatrician to acknowledge what's happening, but they dismiss her concerns. After three years, desperation breaks through her fear of conflict, and she demands answers, only to learn that Matthew has a brain tumor.

The ensuing years launch her on a journey of perseverance and personal growth she never imagined, teaching Karen just how weak she is--and then exactly how strong.