Posted: Apr 26, 2026 / 09:26 PM CDT Updated: Apr 26, 2026 / 09:30 PM CDT KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City native is turning heartbreak into hope after her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma. Mary Gerend, a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, says her family’s world changed when her mom, Amy, received the devastating diagnosis at the beginning of 2025. “Your life changes overnight and it was a shock,” Gerend said.