George Kolasa was living his dream life as a fashion executive in New York City when in February 2022, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma – the most common form of brain cancer. In this special episode of Cancer Straight Talk from MSK, George and his husband Justin take us on their journey as cancer patient and caregiver as it has unfolded in real time over the past year.

We see George quickly evolve from accepting his disease to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for rare cancer research through Cycle for Survival. George finds purpose in his diagnosis by helping others and spreading his message of hope, even as he confronts reality. As George’s memory, speech and ability to walk declines, Justin leans in to the challenges of being a caregiver and also learns the importance of asking for help. As we follow George to his many tests, treatments, and checkups with MSK neuro-oncologist Alexandra Miller and her compassionate team of nurses, we witness the special bond formed between patients and care teams at MSK and see a couple making the most of every moment together, living their life with dignity, purpose, and love.

Shortly after this podcast was completed, George passed away. We thank him and Justin for generously sharing their story to raise awareness and support for research. George was a remarkable person, whose legacy is everlasting.

This is episode 40 of the podcast Cancer Straight Talk from MSK.

Listen to the audio version of this episode: https://www.mskcc.org/videos/georges-...

Find episode notes, transcripts, expert bios and more Cancer Straight Talk: https://bit.ly/3A83Dic

Learn more about MSK: https://www.mskcc.org

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