INGRIDA BLAZYTE-BYCIUVIENE

(30 April 1979 - 1 May 2009)

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We at the International Brain Tumour Alliance were tremendously saddened to learn of the death of Ingrida Blazyte Byciuviene on 1^st May 2009.

Ingrida was a courageous brain tumour patient and determined advocate from Lithuania. She was diagnosed with a grade 2 astrocytoma in the Spring of 2007, aged 27. Shortly after her second brain tumour operation, Ingrida founded the Kartu Lengviau support and information website for fellow Lithuanian brain tumour patients. She then started organising support groups and undertaking awareness-raising activities in her country. She came to know the leading neurosurgeons in Lithuania and was highly respected by them for her dedication to the brain tumour cause.

In April 2008, Ingrida (who had been an English teacher prior to her diagnosis) made contact with the IBTA and between then and the Spring of 2009, we were in regular contact with this amazing young woman. Such was Ingrida’s courage and determination that, just weeks after her third neurosurgery, she insisted on attending the European Association for Neuro Oncology conference in Barcelona with her husband, where she was due to assist on the IBTA exhibition stand. Ingrida felt she must attend the EANO conference so that she could take back to her country as much knowledge as possible about brain tumours in order to help her fellow countrymen and women whose lives had been touched by this disease.

At the EANO conference, Ingrida was full of life, feeling wonderful and making exciting plans for new awareness-raising initiatives in Lithuania and an expansion of her organisation.

Left to right: IBTA supporter Jeanne Pasmantier, IBTA Co-Director Kathy Oliver, Ingrida, Liutauras

Kathy and Ingrida at the IBTA exhibition booth at EANO 2008, Barcelona, Spain

Tragically those plans were cut short by a recurrence of her tumour (now highly malignant) and her death at the beginning of May.

Ingrida wrote: “I never blamed anyone and anything for my illness. Opposite, I’m grateful for it as it made me think a lot and changed me completely…I felt that I was seeking for some untrue values, sometimes I was angry with people for nothing, I used to judge them for one or another deed, while now I am a totally different person.

“Now I feel I’m really HAPPY, I’m very tolerant to everyone and everything, I love all people and I do not judge them at all. It seems to me that all people are good, I do not care about any materialistic things, I simply enjoy life. I’m happy simply being able to open my eyes in the morning, being able to see the sun, water my flowers, walk my dog, meet my family, friends, help people, I’m just happy TO LIVE. And the most important thing that I understood after my illness is that LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO POSTPONE THINGS - WE MUST LIVE HERE AND NOW AND WE MUST ENJOY EVERY SECOND OF IT.”

The slogan on Ingrida’s website, “Kartu lengviau - Švęskime gyvenimą” means: “It’s easier together- let’s celebrate our lives”.

Through her inspirational work and dedication, Ingrida helped many, many fellow Lithuanian brain tumour patients to celebrate their lives. It is hoped that Ingrida’s husband, Liutauras, friends and supporters will continue Ingrida’s invaluable work.

Liutauras and Ingrida