Sharmyn McGraw

Sharmyn McGraw

Patient Advocate / Community Outreach, Brain Tumor and Pituitary Disorders Centers

One year after Sharmyn’s own pituitary surgery in April 2000, she and Dr. Kelly founded a pituitary tumor patient support group. It has continued to grow over the years and now Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s group is the longest running pituitary disorders support group in the country. Patients from around the world have benefited from Sharmyn’s expertise and support in person and through online forums.

Sharmyn’s in-depth understanding of pituitary disorders comes from not only being a patient herself but also knowing personally hundreds of patient throughout the years and from many parts of the world. Her story speaks about the barriers that kept her searching for seven years for an answer to an insidious illness that nearly took her life, and the importance of persistence which led her to a correct diagnosis for Cushing’s disease, a life-threatening hormonal imbalance caused by a pituitary brain tumor. For nearly two decades Sharmyn has been dedicated to helping medical professionals as well as the public to understand the importance of education and public awareness about the critical role hormones play in our quality of life.