Brain tumor can’t stop aspiring doctor; receives wave of support from Long Island community

Nicole Tariche was five days away from finishing her third year of medical school last spring when she received the brain tumor diagnosis that has changed her life.

Now, the aspiring doctor from Garden City is enduring a grueling recovery with the support of her community, which over the course of just five days has incredibly raised over $311,000 for Tariche, 26, through a GoFundMe campaign.

The fundraiser, organized by family friend Dina Muldoon, highlights Tariche’s perseverance and her family’s unwavering dedication.

When headaches plagued her in June, Tariche initially dismissed them as stress-related. But a routine doctor’s visit with her internist during a trip home from school to Garden City uncovered something far more serious, according to a statement from her mother Colleen on the GoFundMe page.

After describing her symptoms and reacting to pain while picking up her wallet, the physician sent Tariche for an immediate CT scan. Within hours, she learned that a brain mass was causing her head pain.

Tariche was admitted to NYU Langone, where a team of doctors performed a 15-hour surgery to remove the tumor on her cerebellum. Complications arose, leading to a second surgery to address a fluid buildup in her brain.

She spent five weeks in the ICU, followed by six weeks of intensive rehabilitation.

In recovery, Tariche has had to relearn basic skills. She experienced vision loss and is coping with issues related to balance and coordination. Her daily routine consists of intensive speech, physical, occupational and eye therapy, which often stretches from early morning until evening.

Despite the setbacks, Tariche’s parents said she approaches each day with determination.

“Nicole is our HERO and works hard every day,” Colleen Tariche wrote on the fundraiser page. The family said they have worked to create an environment at home that supports Tariche’s recovery, including making necessary accommodations to increase her independence.

However, insurance limitations have left them struggling to cover the costs of therapy and specialized equipment.

Tariche’s story has inspired an outpouring of support from the Long Island community and beyond. Donations and heartfelt messages continue to pour into the GoFundMe page. As of Sunday at 1:30 p.m., more than 1,300 separate donations have been made.

Before her diagnosis, Tariche had set her sights on completing medical school, beginning her fourth-year rounds in Massachusetts, and living with her boyfriend, Colin. Her parents say that dream hasn’t wavered.

“Nicole’s dream is to complete medical school and pay it forward,” her family wrote. “Nothing — and we mean nothing — is going to stop her.”

Tariche’s perseverance is deeply personal for her family. Her father Rey recently underwent brain surgery and has a second surgery scheduled in December.

“Rey had just gone through his own brain surgery to correct a level 4 fistula, and remarkably, one of Nicole’s doctors was the wife of Rey’s neurosurgeon,” Colleen Tariche wrote. “We knew that we were in the best hands.”

_{Top photo: GoFundMe}