Imagine sitting in a medical school classroom and learning about cancer that you are personally battling.

That is the experience of Ethan Gasteyer of Western Massachusetts.  Many of his former classmates in the Class of 2026 at UConn School of Medicine, who are now doctors, didn’t know he was continuously battling brain cancer, until he had to step away at the start of his third year of medical training to focus on his cancer care.

“My cancer wasn’t something I talked a lot about or openly about. Some of my classmates had no idea. When I had to step away, they were all incredibly supportive,” he says.

Gasteyer is still going through various cancer treatments, but was able to cheer on his classmates in-person at Commencement as he watched them become doctors this May as his journey fighting brain cancer marches on.

“I went to graduation with my walker. It was really cool that they mentioned my name during Commencement as an honorary member of the Class of 2026,” he shares heartwarmingly.

Journal writing has always helped Gasteyer get through his ongoing treatments. On June 17, 2026 his book, When a Bright Spot Darkens Your World: Battling Brain Cancer, was released online and has already sold over 1,800 copies.

“It feels incredible. What started as a journal and thoughts on paper, is now a full book. I started writing a book to stay busy and distracted. My family and friends encouraged me to write a book out of my journaling, so I did. It took me a full year and a half!”

“I’m still going through treatments,” Gasteyer shares. “But the book has helped me reclaim my life. I am going on with my life, and pursuing my passions.”

Gasteyer shares that the type of brain tumor he has can end up being a chronic disease.

“Some people with it live for decades. I expect that I am not going to be fully healthy, as we don’t know the full prognosis.”

But this medical student’s dream of becoming a doctor someday soon continues, and it started way back in high school.

“I always loved biology, and helping people,” he says. “My friend in high school had cancer and unfortunately passed away. Also, my aunt had cancer, and she battled a recurrence of non-Hodkin’s lymphoma too, but did well thanks to a newly available CAR-T Cell treatment that cured her.

He adds, “Both of their journeys have inspired me to pursue a career in medicine,” along with Gasteyer’s own personal experience of a cancer diagnosis that began during COVID in 2020 when he found himself once again wanting to become a doctor.

“I now want to help people like me!”

Gasteyer’s symptoms started during COVID.

“I felt dizziness, loss of balance, and began waking up every day with a headache. On family walks that we started during COVID, I had to begin thinking about taking one step after another.”

Gasteyer knew something wasn’t right.

“I finally went to the doctor. He thought it might be vertigo, but since I was getting consistent headaches he sent me for an MRI just in case it might be a brain tumor,” he says. “Thank God he did!”

In August of 2020, when an undergraduate at UConn Storrs, about to start his junior year, the MRI results in Boston at Mass General Hospital showed a golf ball size tumor that looked like it had a spider web extending from it. It was diagnosed as a low-grade 2 astrocytoma brain tumor.

Gasteyer spent 9 days in the hospital to remove part of his skull, C1 vertebra, and part of the tumor located on the back of his brain’s cerebellum. After surgery, 6 weeks of radiation occurred and chemotherapy started.

“I’ve been a Husky for a long while now,” he happily shares. Gasteyer was grateful to be able to finish his UConn Storrs undergraduate degree, take the MCAT exam to apply and successfully be accepted to UConn medical school’s Class of 2026, and finish two of the four years of medical school so far.

“I am so glad that I kept on going with my life and went to medical school,” he says all while on chemo treatments to keep his cancerous tumor’s growth at bay.

“Medical school knowledge helped me better understand my own medical appointments and brain scans better,” says Gasteyer. “But what we also learned about in medical school with cancer is that it can be unpredictable, even if you do everything perfectly! It was a challenge sitting in class knowing I might not have the same lifetime as my medical school classmates. But I did know that I wanted to help and treat patients!”

Gasteyer’s biggest advice to others that may find themselves battling a cancer diagnosis: “Find something outside of yourself to fight for. Enjoy the people in your life. My motivation has been my family and friends. They believe things are going to turn out well for me.”

In recent months, Gasteyer reports having lost a bit more balance and using a walker. “While I don’t feel good right now, it’s still so important to my family, especially my parents, that I stay involved and see my family and friends. Force yourself to say yes to everything social that you can. You will be glad you did.”

He is remaining very hopeful, and currently receiving targeted therapy infusions once every two weeks, while also exploring experimental injections of an exploratory and promising new, immune system vaccine available in Germany. His Germany treatments are all thanks to a Go Fund Me.

“Since Thanksgiving I’ve traveled to Germany for nine vaccine doses so far,” he says and they are definitely “giving me more energy. It’s pretty cool. The hope is that the vaccine is working to train my own immune system’s T-cells to fight off my cancer using my body’s boosted own defense system, with very little side-effects.”

Gasteyer is still on medical leave from medical school for now. But his last MRI showed the tumor has shrunk. His next scan is in a couple of weeks.

He is comforted by the “endless support” he says he received from his fellow Huskies.

“A lot of my UConn and UConn medical school classmates have reached out to me to check on me, and spread word about my new book, and contribute to the Go Fund Me for my vaccine treatments in Germany. I have a lot of thanks for my classmates.”

He concludes, “Huskies are amazing!”

Gasteyer was awarded the Ryan Doyle Courage Award recently from the RD26 Foundation started by the parents of his childhood friend who passed away from cancer.

Congrats to Gasteyer on this well-deserved honor for his inspiring courage, as he pursues his dream of always helping others and to do so as a future doctor.

Your fellow Huskies are always here for you, and rooting for you!