Brain tumor survivor Victoria Vesce found hope through faith and fitness

Brain tumor survivor Victoria Vesce found hope through faith and fitness

At the age of 30, Victoria Vesce has worked hard to make the most of every opportunity that came her way, but after once playing a superhero on screen, this academic and physical powerhouse had to rely on faith and fitness after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2017. Now awareness is being raised through the National Brain Tumor Society.

Vesce is back to doing what she does best: stealing the spotlight and shattering stereotypes. Vesce was born in Wilson, North Carolina and now lives in West Palm BeachM&F Manufacturedto share with us her inspiring story, which now includes working toward her law degree.

“I'm currently studying to be a lawyer,” says Vesce, who hopes to practice law soon and further break down narrow-minded views of what a beautiful woman can achieve. As a student, Vesce wrote for the North Carolina State University newspaper and was a sportswriter forBaseball Life.She began modeling at the age of 18 and even appeared in a film, playing the main character in "Athena, Goddess of War" in the 2015 Maiden Comics release of the same name.

During filming, Vesce performed all of the stunts himself. At the same time, she also began performing as a dance team member for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. During this time, Vesce seemed to have life and success in her hands. However, in 2017, her life took a devastating turn when she was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer known as a paraganglioma or glomus tumor.

“The first symptoms appeared when I was dancing for the Hornets,” recalls Vesce. "I started going deaf in my right ear and that was the first big symptom. Then I subsequently struggled with low blood pressure, migraines, extreme nausea and lack of energy. It took a while for the doctors to figure out what was wrong with me because I looked healthy. But after four months of misdiagnosis, I had a CAT scan done and they found the tumor and I was referred to Duke Medical Hospital. They found a second tumor, it was a glomus tumor carotid, and I was immediately admitted as a patient for surgery and radiation.”

Victoria Vesce remained mentally strong despite her brain tumor treatment

Proactive as always, Vesce volunteered to participate in a study for Duke University Hospital, which undoubtedly helped improve others' chances of receiving better care as more is learned about these types of illnesses. “I had a serious operation and it took me months to recover,” she says. "However, I was mentally strong and really focused on getting healthy. After I got some strength back and was able to walk again, I went straight into two months of radiation treatment. It was a lot."

After radiation, it took another six weeks before Vesce could even bathe on her own, but despite ongoing issues like right ear deafness and migraines, this warrior feels super healthy and happy overall. To what does she attribute her unstoppable positivity? Faith and fitness seem to be the key.

“Faith was the most important thing,” says Vesce. "I went into a situation completely blind. There was no tangible evidence that I would be okay. I just had to believe that everything would work out. This part of my life really threatened to turn me away from God and I had to learn to rely on Him to get me through it. I was really lucky and blessed to have my amazing family, especially my mother (who has since passed away). She was by my side every step of the way."

Victoria Vesce aims to be active every day

For those who may be recovering from a brain tumor or other illness or injury, Vesce has an important message. “I would say the best thing is to push yourself,” she says. "Many people will preach about trying too hard. That's not the advice I'm going to give. Set a small goal to achieve every day. For me, the first step was to be able to walk again without getting dizzy. I committed to climbing one flight of stairs every day until I could walk up and down the entire staircase without having deer legs left. Small goals lead to big results!"

Vesce says being active is part of her identity, it's something she's enjoyed her whole life, and she had no intention of letting her tumor take that away from her. A typical example? In 2022, Vesce once again had all eyes on her when she became oneSports IllustratedSwimsuit finalist. But the work isn't finished yet. Vesce has her own YouTube channel where you can keep up with her adventurous endeavors like bowfishing and heavy machinery shooting. Vesce has her own podcast and even a new swimwear line DEHART Swim.

Seriously, one might wonder where she finds the time to fit all of this into her law studies. "I'm more of a Type A, so I keep a tight schedule and plan all my days to a 'T,'" says Vesce. "My motto is to make the most of life." Luckily, her love for life extends to food too. “I love food,” she beams. "I'm Italian, so I love my carbs. However, I do everything in moderation. Currently, I eat a pretty high-protein, lean diet."

Victoria Vesce feels that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

“I’ve been going to the gym more lately,” Vesce says. "My body is still fluctuating due to hormones and my brain tumor. But I've really been testing my personal limits lately by adjusting my diet and health. I've been doing body allergy testing to get the most out of my health."

Vesce tells M&F Hers that her favorite types of workouts are rumble boxing, hot yoga, and strength training because she likes to get her heart pumping as much as the rest of her body. "I'm training to get strong and possibly compete in some bikini shows," says Vesce, who shared her current glute workout at the end of the interview.

We look forward to the possibility of Vesce appearing in court and on the bodybuilding stage. Who would bet against this real-life superhero?

Victoria Vesce's glute day workout

Standing Cable Glute Kickback:4 sets, 12 reps

Smith Machine Glute Kickback:4 sets, 12 reps

Smith Machine Frog Pump:4 sets, 12 reps

Barbell Hip Thrust (hold for 3 seconds at top of lift):4 sets, 12 reps