By: Amber Abramowicz
Esprit De Corps
Eisenhower HS
1st Place
Division 2, Yearbook
Personality Profile
She didn’t expect the headaches she suffered, over the course of a few months, were a sign of something bigger.
Something bigger that caused her over 250 class absences and about 20 trips to doctors’ offices. Something bigger that led to mood swings, seizures and loss of memory.
Something bigger that led to her laying in a hospital bed with her younger sister, because she couldn’t sleep and because she was so freaked out and upset.
Something bigger that led to a growing bond between senior Grace Kulin and her family.
After experiencing a seizure in the school bathroom, Kulin was rushed to the emergency room and later, told the news she has a cavernous angioma; a blood vessel malformation that bled and caused seizures and memory loss.
A brain tumor.
Because of this brain tumor, she’s had one surgery and may need another—depending on if the first one stops her seizures.
Because of this brain tumor, she was debating between two of her safety schools—to make sure she wasn’t stressing herself out—and decided to choose Grand Valley State University.
Because of this brain tumor, she is learning to work hard in school—despite the challenge to keep her grades at all As.
Because of this brain tumor, doing little activities, like reading, can trigger a seizure—so she spends most of her weekends relaxing, like her doctor advised.
Because of this brain tumor, Kulin’s family has been very supportive of her—a member always by her side through her days in the hospital.
“Less than one percent of the world population has my condition, so I honestly never even thought this is what it would turn out to be,” she said.
She didn’t expect to deal with a brain tumor her senior year, but Kulin becomes stronger each day and an even better version of herself— because of a brain tumor that has taken control of her life.