How a selfie outside Rockefeller Center led to a life-saving brain tumor diagnosis

Eight years ago, Megan Troutwine traveled to New York City to visit her late cousin, Tony Martinez, in Harlem. Little did she know, this trip would change her life forever.

While touring Midtown together, the pair explored the vibrant Rockefeller Center. It was there Troutwine took an innocent selfie by the reflecting pool and fountains on Sixth Avenue. Little did she know that this selfie would reveal a hidden truth.

Upon reviewing the picture, she noticed her drooping eyelid – an oddity that sparked concern in her. Upon returning home to Hudson, Florida, she immediately shared this unsettling observation with her neurologist.

Her neurologist ordered an MRI, which would reveal the cause of the drooping eyelid. A phone call on her way home from the scan brought life to a halt. A benign mass was found, aggressively growing inside her brain. The tumor turned out to be a meningioma, the most common form of brain cancer.

The battle began at Tampa’s esteemed Moffitt Cancer Center. Troutwine underwent surgery to remove the tumor and a follow-up procedure uncovered another primary brain tumor, a glioma. Both discoveries necessitated immediate treatment and led to a realization that her condition would require lifelong monitoring.

Further complicating Troutwine’s journey, doctors determined that she carries the PTEN gene mutation, putting her at a heightened risk of developing additional cancers.

Only now, in a recent report by her local Fox station, has Troutwine’s story come to light.

Since her craniotomy in 2017, Troutwine has faced and conquered both breast and uterine cancer. Throughout her challenging treatments, she has met incredible individuals who inspire her every day.

While cancer was never her choice, Troutwine expresses gratitude for the person she has become and the ability to impact others’ lives during their most challenging times. She embraces her work as a health unit coordinator, knowing that many people lack the support system they desperately need.

Troutwine, a student of church ministry, is determined to pursue a second degree in public health. Her compassion for others and desire to alleviate their hardships motivate her to make a difference.

Although she has only returned to New York City once, to honor the memories she shared with her cousin, she has come a long way since that life-changing selfie.