Listening Time — 17:59

Helo Matzelle ignored the ringing in her ears until that sound was joined by voices in her head. What she hoped might be a small problem wasn’t; Helo had a brain tumor.

Surgery to remove the tumor was successful, but it was not without complications. Helo experienced brain swelling, and at one point had to have her body packed in ice just to keep her alive. Once Helo stabilized, a second life-saving process began—an effort to return Helo back to the woman she was before the tumor.

With the help of her therapy team, Helo learned to sit up again, and then walk again, and slowly but surely she was able to regain her independence.

In this episode of Move Forward Radio, she shares her experience of returning to her "old self."

Read more about Helo's transformative story.

Download the podcast on iTunes or listen below:

Helo Matzelle was 46 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor and underwent surgery to have it removed. The mother of 3 was anticipating a smooth recovery, but encountered significant swelling during recovery and defied death several times. Persevering through intense rehabilitation, she learned how to walk, talk, and function all over again, and regain her independence. Today, Matzelle has written a memoir of her experiences, Halo Found Hope, to inspire others. The book is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.