Actually asking for a friend that is going in for surgery next week - he has a mild glioma on the left side of his brain.
Hey @Kimoy,
My name is Merl, I’m a member of the Modsupport Team here on Ben’s Friends. Is there a brain tumour specific group? Not specifically. I have a type of brain tumour called an astrocytoma, which is a type of glial cell growth. You state it’s a ‘mild’ glioma. In my specific situation mine is considered to be ‘low grade’ and therefore very slow forming. But I’m not sure what you mean by ‘mild’. Often the medicos will use terms such as ‘Grades’. The higher the grade, the more involved.
Gliomas do not metastasis (spread) outside of the brain/spine, unlike some other tumours. So, that’s a good thing. As for the effects, that can be very individual. You state it’s on the left side of the brain, but the exact location will have a large impact as to what may be affected. Your friend’s neurosurgeon would have a more defined region, often referred to as the lobes involved, ie occipital, frontal etc but even then they can’t give an exact outcome. For me, they gave me a ‘Best case scenario’ and a ‘Worst case scenario’.
The treatment and method offered can also vary, depending on their medical team and what they find. For example, my plan was ‘Go in, get it, get out’ but when they got in there, via craniotomy, they found it was a bit too close to brain structures I need to function, so they reduced its size, but could not remove it all. Now, I must admit, my initial surgery was back in the mid 90’s and processes/scans have refined a lot since then, but location will still have a large impact.
By no means am I saying I have all of the answers because I don’t but if I can be of any assistance I am more than willing to do so.
Merl from the Modsupport Team
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Found this site https://www.abta.org/supportgroups/ and this Online brain tumour support groups | The Brain Tumour Charity
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Well done @Moltroub!
@Kimoy - small world! I literally got off the phone with my sibling who was recently diagnosed with glioma to see what might be out there. I explained about all you wonderful people and how important you are to me, and then asked if there was anything similar for glioma patients. Alas, not aware of anything similar (again, counting my blessings and thanking BAF!). I was going to offer up what I had found online, but @Moltroub beat me to the punch - gold star for you today! 
Holding your friend up in my thoughts and prayers for a successful surgery!
Fin Whale Fan 
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Thanks Merl @ModSupport — it sounds like he has something similar to you (maybe?)… I don’t believe they have been able to define what grade from the MRI or perhaps my friend forgot the name of it… he did say he was told it could affect the area that affects speech. I’ll see if he is interested in reaching out to you. Thanks so much for your response 
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@FinWhaleFan sorry to hear that your sibling and family are having to go down this journey - not exactly the same as yours, but certainly the same level of concern, fears, etc. Keeping your sibling in my thoughts and prayers 
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Can’t believe I was able to do that! 
One of my paternal uncles had a brain tumor that was originally diagnosed as malaria at the Panama Canal back in the late ‘70’s. It wasn’t until he was able to get to San Diego where they finally figured it out. I’ve often wondered if the tumor was the cause of him quitting his job and family to go back to being a Merchant Seaman.
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