Brain Cancer Survivor With Memory Issues Has Appreciation for Life

Linda Biboso’s family became concerned when she started having problems with her memory and finding the right words to express what she wanted to say.

At first doctors thought it was Alzheimer’s or dementia, but after a few weeks of testing, Biboso was told she had brain cancer.

The tumor affected Biboso’s memory and ability to find words. To keep track of her memories Biboso started keeping a journal of her experiences from 2004 to 2006.

“My sentence could not be completed,” Biboso wrote in the journal. “I forget about words, names, numbers and things that really are going on. I was desperate to see a doctor to check my brain.”

Biboso immigrated to the United States with her husband from the Philippines about 50 years ago. She worked as nurse while her husband was doing a medical internship at the University of Wisconsin Madison. She then became a stay-at-home mom when they had their first of four children. They were all raised in Greendale. Only one of her children lives in Wisconsin now.

“Between all these appointments she was getting so much worse,” said her daughter Lisa Mabbott. “Never forget the day, never forget where you were when they come in and tell you. It was shocking. Just seeing her that way, not herself. It’s hard to watch your parents age, let alone something like that happen to them."

During her surgery, chemo, radiation and treatments her other children came to be with her.

“Thinking about my family, I was feeling so grateful at the attention and love given to me by my children,” wrote Biboso. “ Of course my husband did the very best but my children I am totally grateful. I could not believe that the children would do this. They were so busy with their own lives and I did not think that they would have time for me.”

In her journal Biboso wrote about her many treatments, blood tests results and even lists her seven doctors at Foerdtert Hospital. Throughout the journal she repeatedly referenced the appreciation she has for her husband.

“I am really very thankful to my husband for doing all the proper cooking,” she wrote. “With all the cooking work that he does, plus going to work, I am concerned that he is working too hard. I pray that as a result of this I could come successful in fighting against cancer.”

Biboso was always a religious person so naturally she took a religious pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.

“I was happy and grateful to God for giving me a chance to get better,” Biboso wrote. “As a prayer, we traveled to Lourdes, France to thank Holy Mary for making me successful in getting rid of the tumor in my brain.”

Biboso didn't let the tumor beat her down. She continued to exercise by walking daily. 

“She didn’t sit inside the house and mope,” said Mabbott.

Today Biboso still has some memory and word finding issues. In a 2006 entry she wrote that she could only remember no more than four letter names.

“My own grandchild has the name Olivia (five letters) which doesn’t come in my brain. It takes awhile to come to my mind… A lot of my friends, I cannot remember but their images would remind me they have long been my friends, but I cannot remember their names.”

Even though Biboso has these difficulties she said she has a new attitude and appreciation for life.

“When you’re young you’re picky,” she said. “Surgery like this changes that. I appreciate everything. (For example) I don’t like to wear this because it’s ugly, it doesn’t matter anymore. You change your attitude in life.”

For the past three year Biboso and Mabbott have walked in Greendale's . This year's proceeds from the walk on Saturday will go to the Step Up to Better Health initiatives and the American Brain Tumor Association.