T-Boz from 90s girl group TLC has been very vocal about her battle with sickle cell anemia. Now T-Boz opens up about being diagnosed with a brain tumor and her will to power on...
Most people know me as an actress, singer or member of the ’90s musical group TLC. What many people don’t know is that through all of this, I quietly battled sickle-cell disease. Since the age of 7, I have been in and out of hospitals. Then, in 2006, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Many physicians refused to remove the tumor due to my sickle-cell related complications.
These experiences have taught me, and I want everyone to know, that you can be a survivor, even when it looks like you’re against all odds. When I went to the first doctor to talk about my brain tumor, he wasn’t getting into my livelihood, my life.
The decisions about how to treat the tumor were not what would happen to me and my quality of life. You need to learn about yourself, research and take notes. Know the questions to ask. When you’re stressed and going through something, it can be hard to do, so it’s important to learn what you can and prepare.
God has the last say so. At the end of the day I do think there’s a higher power and the way I feel about things and choose to do things has an effect on that outcome. If you want to live, you have to face your fears. I had to learn a lot about myself during the situation with my brain tumor. The hardest thing was waiting to see what kind of brain tumor I had and getting back to where I am today. I’ve been through a lot with sickle-cell, but my recovery from the brain tumor was THE hardest thing. I’m proud of myself for seeing this through and to be here for my daughter. You have to make a commitment to yourself and that was important to me.
I don’t believe in changing anything because I think everything happens for a reason. If I didn’t have bad things happen, I wouldn’t know the good things. I’m wiser now. With age comes wisdom and I’m looking forward to becoming wiser. I’m not one of those people who is ashamed to say how old I am – I'm 41 – because other people told me I wasn’t even supposed to be alive at this age. It made me who I am and I’m happy with me and I’m just glad I learned from my mistakes.
Being forced to live my life in public has given me strength to deal with things. I have also been inspired to help others, which is why I lend my voice to causes like Be The Match, which helps patients with sickle-cell disease, leukemia and other diseases who need a marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. As a person with sickle-cell disease and an advocate for everyone fighting this disease, I am passionate about encouraging everyone to learn the facts about marrow donation. We especially need more African-Americans to step up. I encourage everyone to check out BeTheMatch.org.
26 comments:
Wow! Poor TBoz...she's been throught it...and loosing Left eye didn't make it easier...who knows what else she had to endure,like heartbreak ect...
Ah! A brain tumor. That explains her outfit on American Idol 2011.
I struggle w/ an illness that causes chronic pain myself. I relate to her struggle and wish her the best. I look forward to that new album Tionne! It's about time gurl! :-)
God Bless her and what she said is so true and will certainly inspire and give others hope. It's ashame that when her and chili performed not too long ago, all people did was poke fun at how much weight she gained...instead of giving her props for being brave enough to get back on stage. People that aren't sick, don't really understand those that are. I have polycystic kidney disease, but I won't let it take from my life and I choose to have joy in whatever I can. Some days are hard and you get down, but you have to be strong and never give up on yourself. God definitely has the last say and I do believe that. GO T-BOZ!
@8:36 I wish you the best. I know it's hard sis & I'll pray for you. I know the suffering is unbearable, but God is going to see us through indeed. Continue to believe that. : )
She's beautiful.
Who knows her as an actress? I sure don't. Never have.
She looks awfully puffy about the face.
@9:12 and 9:20 You're both idiots!
May God bless T boz
god bless her....she deserve the title of be a true survier....god bless
God Bless her, I will pray for her. To the idiots with the wasteful comments: FUCK Y'ALL and I hope you never have to face anything like this. LOSERS!
@ 9:12
She was in Belly with Nas & DMX.
Praying for ur continued strength and full recovery. In th name of Jesus Christ I pray a permanent healing over your body and blessing over your life. I also pray for the insensitive hatred on here. bless you anyway......
if she dies ill know for a fact that the entire TLC group is cursed.
Wow keep strong T-Boz.
My heart goes out to Tboz and all of you on here going through pain. My lifelong friend and godmother of my kids has been battling cancer for years and last year was found to have a tumor near her brain. Thankfully, the chemo seems to have all but wiped it out and she's on her way to beating it altogether. The worst part was seeing her on this medicine that they gave her to prevent swelling around her brain - it was full of steroids and bloated her up so bad she was almost unrecognizable. Maybe that's what's goin' on with Tboz..
i'm so proud of her. what an inspiration to all people. she's had a hell of a life so far. i hope she accomplishes whatever she sets her mind to in the future.
I was wondering why she had gained so much weight. I thought it was medically related but I couldn't imagine in regards to Sickle Cell, why they would put her on Prednisone (or any other corticosteroid to make her gain so much weight) but now I know it wasn't the Sickle Cell at all!!!
My God! I prey for her! Especially because she is a single mother. I have always thought her to be so positive and so pretty, even now she is still prettier than a lot of young women with their health.
God be with you T-Boz!
For anyone to crack jokes about this is childish! If you had an ill family member or were ill yoursel would it still be a joking matter to you? I wish Tboz the best!
^^^I feel sorry for this society, because compassion is sorely lacking. My prayers are will her.
Off topic. Sometimes my post go through, and other times I click "Post comment" and my post goes away without being posted. Does anyone know what the problem is?
My prayers are with her as well. Stay strong, TBoz!
My comment was not meant to be a joke and I'm sorry if it came out that way. Stay strong T-baz and get well.
My eldest brother is currently living with sickle cell and it is no joke! I can remember him going in and out of the hospital every other week due to his crisis. T-Boz is such an inspiration to him! I ran into her a few years ago at a Boston Market in Duluth, GA and she was the nicest person to me. God Bless her!!!
She's still very pretty and i wish her all the luck in the world. Good luck T-Baz.
and on that note everytime i think of TLC in the 90's i want to cry. it just makes me so sad that left eye is gone and now T-Baz has to suffer like this. its just not right. it just isn't.
I love T-BOZ lord knows I do and I feel bad that she has been sick...BUT she be killing me softly with those fucking 27 piece quick weaves she been wearing since the "CREEP" video.
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