{"id":88827,"date":"2026-02-26T05:25:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=88827"},"modified":"2026-02-26T08:55:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:55:58","slug":"figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating ‘princess’ found her ‘happily-ever-after’ outcome"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Sari
Sari Behr always has found joy in movement and the quiet focus that figure skating requires. Here Sari demonstrates her skating abilities on a lake in Aspen near her hometown of Basalt. Sari’s discipline and training as a skater helped her stay centered as she dealt with a rare skull base tumor. Photo courtesy of Sari Behr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When professional figure skater Sari Behr was touring overseas last spring, her balance, poise and precision were tested like never before. Unlike in the past though, Sari\u2019s nemesis was not the other competitors, finicky judges or the slim sliver of metal on which she accomplishes gravity-defying spins, swirls and jumps.<\/p>\n

Instead, Sari, then just 26, was facing something far more serious. And it had the potential to destroy her career, her dreams and her No. 1 passion since childhood. For the first time since she could remember, she had to give up skating.<\/p>\n

Before Sari learned what was causing her double vision, headaches and intermittent excruciating pain behind her right eye, she had to travel across the world from Southeast Asia, where she had been performing, and travel back to her home in Colorado to seek answers from experts at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sari then had to focus on patience and hope as she waited for answers that would come after multiple scans and tests. Then in August, she endured a surgery called a craniotomy<\/a>. Doctors removed a brain tumor that was pressing on an eye nerve called the oculomotor nerve. After surgery, Sari faced weeks of uncertainty once again before learning whether she would regain her eyesight fully and recover well enough to once again skate at the optimum level she had trained for her all of her life.<\/p>\n

Symptoms that signaled a skull base tumor stopped Sari from skating<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before her surgery, Sari dealt with an array of terrible symptoms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt got to the point that it was painful with the pressure behind my right eye. It was excruciating and disorientating. I would have double vision, and it was hard to function day to day,\u201d said Sari, now 27, who grew up in Basalt near Aspen in Colorado\u2019s beautiful Roaring Fork Valley.<\/p>\n

\"Known
Known for her determination and joy on the ice, Sari Behr relied on that same strength when doctors discovered a skull base tumor that threatened Sari’s vision, balance and her career with “Disney on Ice.” Photo courtesy of Sari Behr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSkating had been a great outlet and such an important part of my life and identity, and then, ironically, skating was the worst thing I could do with the spinning and rotating. The few times I would try to go and skate, thinking it might make me feel better, I had to lay down I was so nauseous. There were minimal things I could do on ice that wouldn\u2019t trigger these symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Accustomed to the nail-biting, high-stakes moments that come with professional skating, Sari and her family soon faced another type of anxiety in a different type of arena \u2013 the medical one, where they had to place their faith and trust in UCHealth doctors as they performed a delicate operation with the hope that Sari could someday return to the ice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was one of the hardest pieces of my whole experience \u2013 losing access to skating for a while and waiting for the surgery and recovery,\u201d Sari said. \u201cDoctors were hopeful, but there were no guarantees with the brain surgery that my vision would go back to normal. Confronting that reality meant thinking about possibly having to change my career and many other aspects of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sari’s early skating life before facing a skull base tumor diagnosis<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sari\u2019s mom, Peggy Behr, was an accomplished figure skater who became a skating coach and began working with Sari when she was a toddler.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always at the rink with my mom when she went to work, and then I started to fall in love with skating and never stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sari competed competitively from the age of 4 through high school.<\/p>\n

Skating at that level was demanding, as she would practice before and after school, along with keeping up with academics and other sports and activities.<\/p>\n

Sari was both graceful and athletic. She studied ballet and competed in soccer, and brought the elegance of dance and the rugged athleticism of soccer to her skating. She also was disciplined, responsible and focused.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was always super organized and a really hard worker,\u201d said Sari\u2019s mom, who now teaches Pilates. \u201cShe\u2019s just a beautiful skater.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sari
Sari Behr grew up on the ice, learning to skate almost as soon as she could walk. With her mom as her coach, she quickly fell in love with the sport and devoted herself to training from a young age. Photo courtesy of Sari Behr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After graduating from Aspen High School<\/a> in spring 2017, Sari knew she wanted to pursue a career in skating but away from the competitive world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always a very nervous competitor and found it very stressful,\u201d Sari said.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when she found a perfect new option: performing in shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell in love with that, and it spoke to me so much more than the competitive world,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Peggy Behr had been a skater for “Disney on Ice<\/a>,” and Sari decided to take a gap year before heading to college and following in her mom\u2019s footsteps. When an opportunity came to try out, Sari threw her hat \u2014 and her skates \u2014 in the ring, or the rink, in this case. She won a spot in the show and soon joined a touring company, which travels across the U.S. and throughout the world, bringing familiar fairy tales to life on ice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very exciting, and once I got on tour, I kind of fell in love with this part of the sport. Show skating and performing felt like a whole new world. It\u2019s about the storytelling and the beauty of skating and not just points.\u201d<\/p>\n

After one year on the road, Sari decided to take a break and attend college. She crammed a four-year degree at University of Colorado Boulder<\/a> into three years. She graduated in 2021 with a bachelor\u2019s in psychology, but decided she wanted to go back on tour with Disney, which she did soon after graduation.<\/p>\n

Over the past several years, Sari has embraced a life on the road: enjoying the hustle of planes, buses and ice rinks in far-flung places. Since her college graduation, Sari has done five tours that have taken her to Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and much of North America. The crew of 60 skaters and scores of backup crew members move from place to place every week.<\/p>\n

Sari worked her way up to performing her dream role as Belle \u2013 the plucky, book-loving princess from \u201cBeauty and the Beast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI always felt like the character, and my skating style just clicked, and it felt natural to play her,\u201d Sari said. \u201cI love that she has a mind of her own and that she prioritizes her family. She believes there is so \u2018much more than this provincial life,\u2019 and more out there for her than the small town where she is from.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love my small town and love going home to Basalt\u2026but there is so much out there to explore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blurry vision abroad: the first signs of Sari’s rare brain tumor<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last April, while Sari was taking a vacation in Vietnam, she began to have blurry vision in her right eye. A doctor there told her that her pupil was dilated, so she decided to see another doctor in Jakarta, Indonesia, when she returned to the tour. By this time, her eye had been dilated for about a month, and she was told again that her pupil was not responding to light and that the condition might be linked to a neurological problem.<\/p>\n

\"Sari
Sari brings the role of Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” to life as she travels the world performing for “Disney on Ice.” Photo by Shiho Yoneyama.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An MRI overseas in May didn\u2019t show anything alarming, but Sari was frustrated that her symptoms were getting worse. She had frequent headaches and light sensitivity, which was hard to avoid as she routinely performed under large spotlights.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was bothering me, but it was manageable. My distance vision was alright, and I trusted my muscle memory while I skated, even though things were blurry. But then the double vision began to happen, and I knew something was really wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sari left Egypt in June and journeyed back to the U.S. to take some time off. In a Basalt medical clinic, a second MRI hinted at the possibility of a benign tumor, or adenoma, on her pituitary gland as the reason for her vision problems.<\/p>\n

Doctors in Basalt referred Sari to experts at University of Colorado Hospital.<\/p>\n

As she waited to see doctors there, she tried not to worry.<\/p>\n

Escalating symptoms lead doctors to identify a rare skull base tumor<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By the end of the month, Sari\u2019s symptoms became so severe that she had to head into the UCHealth ER<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After a series of tests, doctors weren\u2019t so sure she had a pituitary adenoma. Instead, they suspected a rare type of skull base tumor that was pressing on her cranial nerves. The cranial nerves encompass 12 paired nerves that control body functions such as sight, hearing, taste and smell.<\/p>\n

There was some good news. Doctors thought her tumor was benign \u2014 even though it was in a very delicate place.<\/p>\n

Sari soon found herself in the very capable surgical hands of Dr. Samy Youssef<\/a>, a brain surgeon who specializes in cranial nerve and skull base surgery. He became the point person who led Sari\u2019s care team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he came into the room to talk to us, he said he was very comfortable doing this type of surgery because this part of the brain was his \u2018living room,\u2019\u2019\u2019 Sari said. \u201cThere were so many unknowns and uncertainties, and he was very comforting. I put my trust in him right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Youssef said that Sari\u2019s pea-sized tumor was in a tight space wedged between her right eye and the cavernous sinus on the specific nerves that control some eye functions. Specifically, it was sitting directly on cranial nerve no. 3, the oculomotor nerve that controls eye movement and pupil constriction.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo call it a \u2018skull base tumor\u2019 doesn\u2019t do justice or explain the intricacy of the surgery needed to remove it,\u201d said Youssef, who is also a professor of neurosurgery<\/a> and director<\/a> of the skull base surgery center at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine<\/a>. \u201cThe difficulty of this was that the tumor was in a very critical space. There is very little room in there to maneuver, and you must be very, very precise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though the tumor was benign, its location was vexing and would require incredibly meticulous surgery to extract it. In the past, someone with this type of tumor would have to suffer the rest of their life from double vision, or eventually, partial loss or even total loss of vision if the tumor grew.<\/p>\n

In Sari\u2019s case, there were a couple of ways Youssef could perform the operation to remove the tumor: through the nose, but that carried a danger of potentially inflaming the nerves; or a cranial approach, where he would reach the tumor through Sari\u2019s skull.<\/p>\n

While she tried to keep busy for several weeks in Basalt before the Aug. 5th surgery, Sari took anti-nausea medications, wore eye patches and sunglasses, and was grateful to have some downtime in the mountains.<\/p>\n

\u201cI waited for over a month until the day of the brain surgery. I felt like I was in good hands with Dr. Youssef and UCHealth, and was trying to manifest a good outcome, but that in-between period of uncertainty \u2026 it was a long time to sit with \u2018what ifs.\u2019 I was hoping for the best, but there was also a reality check that my vision might not be the same or could be even worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sari undergoes a long operation to remove a skull base tumor pressing against her ocular nerve<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Youssef determined that the best chance for successfully removing the tumor would be a craniotomy, where a portion of the skull is removed to reach the brain. First, he shaved behind Sari\u2019s hairline where the incision would be, from the top of her head down to her right ear.\u00a0 He did this behind her hairline, so the scar is hardly visible.<\/p>\n

Using microscopic surgery, he went behind Sari\u2019s hairline to the top of her eye socket and opened the canal, or the sheath, of the third nerve. With incredible precision, he cut the tumor out without touching the nerve.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very nervous as you\u2019re putting all your trust in other people, but I knew I was in good hands,\u201d Sari said.<\/p>\n

After a four-hour surgery, Sari woke up in the ICU. She had been warned that her vision would likely be worse before it got better so she tried not to panic. When she looked in the mirror it was like viewing the world through a kaleidoscope, with the world fractured and fragmented into hundreds of prism pieces.<\/p>\n

This was alarming but normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nature of this cranial nerve is very sensitive and when compressed by a tumor, it can take six months to a year to recover,\u201d Youssef said.<\/p>\n

After three nights in the hospital, Sari returned to Basalt, hoping her vision would return to normal and that she could get back on the ice.<\/p>\n

Recovering from skull base tumor surgery and returning to the ice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For the next two weeks, Sari recovered, rested and took slow walks while wearing an eye patch. She refrained from bending over to avoid putting pressure on her eye and tried to keep her heart rate down.<\/p>\n

A month into her recuperation, she stepped up her daily exercise routine, and at the six-week mark, she headed to the\u00a0Lewis Ice Arena<\/a> in Aspen and laced up her skates. She was nervous, scared, but also excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very emotional\u2026.my vision was a little off, so I couldn\u2019t do much, but it felt so good to glide around and feel the ice again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the next few weeks, her double vision disappeared, although her pupil remains dilated, leaving her with slightly blurry vision. She is giving herself six months or so until she tries glasses and will return to UCHealth in the spring for follow-up.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy vision might always be a little off, but it\u2019s so much more livable. I have no headaches or light sensitivity. I know my eyes are still retraining themselves to adjust and recalibrate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am incredibly grateful for Dr. Yossef, my entire medical team at UCHealth, and the amazing community around me \u2013 my mom, my family, friends, Cory and coworkers. They have been with me every step of this journey and I wouldn\u2019t have been able to get back on the ice and do what I love without their unwavering support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Life after her tumor surgery: Sari returns as Belle in Disney on Ice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Those who know and work with Sari credit her discipline and mental toughness as attributes that carried her through her hardest moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring her ordeal, she never approached recovery passively. She was determined to be back on the ice for this current tour.\u00a0 She listens carefully, follows instructions to the letter and stays focused on any goals she sets for herself.\u00a0 This whole experience was no exception. In fact, I feel she dug deeper with more determination than ever to return to the ice,\u201d said Cory Obst, her Disney on Ice performance director.<\/p>\n

\"Returning
Returning to play the role of Belle in Disney on Ice’s “Beauty and the Beast” after brain surgery was emotional for Sari. Every performance now carries deeper meaning after Sari dealt with a skull base tumor. Photo by Shiho Yoneyama.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard not to lose confidence throughout something like this, but her vast experience as a competitive skater and professional performer served her very well. This all helped her to rebuild her mind and body patiently and safely to get back to her performing levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the beginning of October, Sari flew to England to return to the Disney on Ice tour. While a little concerned about whether it was too soon, she got the approval from her medical team and became Belle once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was challenging, but I was OK. Physically, it was harder than I thought, rebuilding muscle and endurance and doing all the same skills I was doing before. I had some mental blocks and was worried about falling and hitting my head, but I worked with Cory, who is amazing, and he helped me find my way back, taking it step by step.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sari focused on foundational aspects and technique strength, as she allowed her skating to come back over time and gradually mastered the more challenging elements of her role.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis mindset not only helped her recover physically but also made her stronger overall as a person and performer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Her mom agreed: \u201cShe attacked her recovery just like she did the tumor itself, with confidence and paying attention to her body. I am so proud of her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Touring is demanding: the cast performs eight shows a week, sometimes three a day, four days in a row, but Sari said she has a new appreciation for skating after she faced the possibility of it being taken away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I wouldn\u2019t get to do this again, so every time I\u2019m out there in front of these amazing audiences, I feel so lucky. I\u2019ve always been grateful for this job, but after having lost it for a bit, I feel like it\u2019s a gift now.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Youssef, knowing that Sari is back to skating is affirming.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do brain surgery every day and are very comfortable with it, and we try to transfer that confidence to our patients,\u201d he said. \u201cSari\u2019s job relied on her vision and her special abilities, and we are so happy she returned to skating. She was very mature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cory said Sari\u2019s attributes make her the perfect Belle, as she exudes the same traits the Disney character she plays is known for.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think audiences connect to her because she delivers a genuine and believable performance.<\/p>\n

This is an iconic role of a strong, independent young lady \u2013 just as Sari is in real life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The happiness Sari feels skating again includes being able to see how children react to her character.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many little Belles in the audience, and it\u2019s so sweet to see them. It gives me the most incredible feeling. Bringing these classic Disney stories to life and sharing that joy with families around the world means so much to me. I\u2019m skating with a new sense of gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When professional figure skater Sari Behr was touring overseas last spring, her balance, poise and precision were tested like never before. Unlike in the past though, Sari\u2019s nemesis was not the other competitors, finicky judges or the slim sliver of metal on which she accomplishes gravity-defying spins, swirls and jumps. Instead, Sari, then just 26, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2357,"featured_media":88850,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[4758,28],"class_list":["post-88827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-brain-tumor-treatment","tag-cancer-care-oncology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA rare skull base tumor: Ice-skating princess gets her happily-ever-after outcome - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Double vision and severe headaches led doctors to discover a skull base tumor pressing on a nerve that threatened Sari's sight and career.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating 'princess' found her 'happily-ever-after' outcome\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Double vision and severe headaches led doctors to discover a skull base tumor pressing on a nerve that threatened Sari's sight and career.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-26T12:25:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-26T15:55:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/7c91e8a4932eea6caad6cc64ac28dede\"},\"headline\":\"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating ‘princess’ found her ‘happily-ever-after’ outcome\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-26T12:25:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-26T15:55:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\"},\"wordCount\":3235,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Brain tumor treatment\",\"Cancer care\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\",\"name\":\"A rare skull base tumor: Ice-skating princess gets her happily-ever-after outcome - UCHealth Today\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-26T12:25:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-26T15:55:58+00:00\",\"description\":\"Double vision and severe headaches led doctors to discover a skull base tumor pressing on a nerve that threatened Sari's sight and career.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp\",\"width\":800,\"height\":468,\"caption\":\"Sari Behr. Photo courtesy of Sari Behr.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating ‘princess’ found her ‘happily-ever-after’ outcome\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/\",\"name\":\"UCHealth Today\",\"description\":\"UCHealth Today\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UCHealth\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"UCHealth\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/uchealth\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uchealth\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/14839\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/uchealthorg\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC41SJI79yjZIe96OajzN22g\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/7c91e8a4932eea6caad6cc64ac28dede\",\"name\":\"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d579b3ef424861e3376c7c220aff746632d6c832db6518dfb106680e04f407?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d579b3ef424861e3376c7c220aff746632d6c832db6518dfb106680e04f407?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d579b3ef424861e3376c7c220aff746632d6c832db6518dfb106680e04f407?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth\"},\"description\":\"Mary Gay Broderick is a Denver-based freelance writer with more than 25 years experience in journalism, marketing, public relations and communications. She enjoys telling compelling stories about healthcare, especially the dedicated UCHealth professionals and the people whose lives they transform. She enjoys skiing, hiking, biking and traveling, along with baking (mostly) successful desserts for her husband and three daughters.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/author\/mgbroderick\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A rare skull base tumor: Ice-skating princess gets her happily-ever-after outcome - UCHealth Today","description":"Double vision and severe headaches led doctors to discover a skull base tumor pressing on a nerve that threatened Sari's sight and career.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating 'princess' found her 'happily-ever-after' outcome","og_description":"Double vision and severe headaches led doctors to discover a skull base tumor pressing on a nerve that threatened Sari's sight and career.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/","og_site_name":"UCHealth Today","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/","article_published_time":"2026-02-26T12:25:34+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-26T15:55:58+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@uchealth","twitter_site":"@uchealth","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/"},"author":{"name":"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/7c91e8a4932eea6caad6cc64ac28dede"},"headline":"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating ‘princess’ found her ‘happily-ever-after’ outcome","datePublished":"2026-02-26T12:25:34+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-26T15:55:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/"},"wordCount":3235,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp","keywords":["Brain tumor treatment","Cancer care"],"articleSection":["Stories"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/","name":"A rare skull base tumor: Ice-skating princess gets her happily-ever-after outcome - UCHealth Today","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp","datePublished":"2026-02-26T12:25:34+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-26T15:55:58+00:00","description":"Double vision and severe headaches led doctors to discover a skull base tumor pressing on a nerve that threatened Sari's sight and career.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/02\/24140609\/skater-sari-behr-brain-tumor-mountains-web.webp","width":800,"height":468,"caption":"Sari Behr. Photo courtesy of Sari Behr."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/figure-skater-skull-base-tumor-recovery\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A rare skull base tumor: How an ice-skating ‘princess’ found her ‘happily-ever-after’ outcome"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/","name":"UCHealth Today","description":"UCHealth Today","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization","name":"UCHealth","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"caption":"UCHealth"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/","https:\/\/x.com\/uchealth","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uchealth\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/14839\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/uchealthorg\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC41SJI79yjZIe96OajzN22g"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/7c91e8a4932eea6caad6cc64ac28dede","name":"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d579b3ef424861e3376c7c220aff746632d6c832db6518dfb106680e04f407?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d579b3ef424861e3376c7c220aff746632d6c832db6518dfb106680e04f407?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9d579b3ef424861e3376c7c220aff746632d6c832db6518dfb106680e04f407?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth"},"description":"Mary Gay Broderick is a Denver-based freelance writer with more than 25 years experience in journalism, marketing, public relations and communications. She enjoys telling compelling stories about healthcare, especially the dedicated UCHealth professionals and the people whose lives they transform. She enjoys skiing, hiking, biking and traveling, along with baking (mostly) successful desserts for her husband and three daughters.","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/author\/mgbroderick\/"}]}},"coauthors":[{"id":2357,"name":"Mary Gay Broderick, for UCHealth","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/author\/mgbroderick\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2357"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88827"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88880,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88827\/revisions\/88880"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}