Ruth Stevens feels more inspired now than ever before to serve.

The Jacksonville resident has always been a giver. She has cared for friends and family, cut and styled hair for free and even adopted a dog that needed a loving home. It’s simply in her blood to do for others.

Her penchant to help has been strengthened following the shocking discovery – and successful removal – of a large brain tumor. She feels she’s still around for a reason. With appreciation for the superb treatment and care at UF Health Jacksonville, Ruth is eager to find out what her specific purpose is.

Brain tumor discovery

Ruth had a bad cough she just couldn’t shake. Her primary care physician prescribed sinus medication, which didn’t help. She then saw an ear, nose and throat specialist, whose medical imaging revealed that she had a tumor in her brain the size of a tennis ball.

“But I had no symptoms or anything, so I had no idea,” Ruth said of the tumor. “And If I did have symptoms, they weren’t severe enough for me to realize anything was the matter.”

Ruth was referred to UF Health Jacksonville neurosurgeon Daryoush Tavanaiepour, MD, whose expertise in skull base surgery made him an ideal choice. He said the large, slow-growing tumor had displaced the brain and invaded its largest vein. Harming that vein can result in blindness, coma and even death.

“The tumor wasn’t deep, but it was in a critical area of the brain,” said Tavanaiepour, who directs and helped found the UF Health Skull Base Center – Jacksonville.

The center, which focuses on patients with complex head and neck tumors, includes fellowship-trained physicians in oral and maxillofacial surgery; neurosurgery; ear, nose and throat; neuropathology; and neuroradiology. Tampa is the nearest city with such a center.

The operation

The operation involved putting Ruth to sleep and placing her on her stomach. Tavanaiepour made a small incision in the back of Ruth’s head and used neuronavigation (think GPS for the brain) technology, an operating microscope and state-of-the-art micro-instruments to operate.

Tavanaiepour successfully removed nearly 95 percent of the benign tumor. He said he could have attempted to remove all of it, but doing so would have put her at a much greater risk for a stroke. Ruth is being monitored via routine MRI, though the small portion of the tumor that remains isn’t expected to cause any harm.

Ruth reflects

Ruth was up walking the day after surgery and went home three days after that. Though the operation went well and her prognosis has been good, Ruth admits she was concerned leading up to the operation. Cancer runs in her family and she even had an aunt who died from a malignant brain tumor.

She said she’s glad she came to UF Health and is especially appreciative of Tavanaiepour’s care and surgical expertise. She calls him a miracle worker.

“He’s just got magic hands,” Ruth said. “I can’t say enough good about him because he’s just wonderful.”

Ruth believes she’s been kept alive to serve others. She sees her surgical treatment as a special gift and wants to “pay it forward” with good deed for others.

“There’s somebody out there I’m supposed to help next,” she said. “I just haven’t been told who it is.”

Featured Faculty

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Daryoush Tavanaiepour, MBChB (MD)

Associate Professor
Chair, Department of Neurosurgery; Interim Chief, Acute Care Neurosurgery; Medical Director, Neuro-Oncology; Medical Director, Movement Disorders; Clerkship Director