Sarah was just 16 years old when she received the frightening news that she had a brain tumour.
After experiencing frequent headaches, Sarah was sent for an MRI scan that revealed she had an epidermoid brain tumour.
Sarah’s doctors at the time decided that since she was otherwise in good health and the tumour seemed stable, it was best to regularly monitor her instead of performing a high-risk surgery.
However, in 2023, Sarah started to experience more frequent headaches and tinnitus, and was told that the tumour had unexpectedly grown. Sarah now needed two long, intense surgeries to remove as much of the tumour as possible.
“At the same time, I received my place for the 2024 London Marathon and I was determined to continue with my training. I went on to complete the milestone with my dad and running partner, Gary, and we raised an incredible £9,000 for Brain Research UK.”
“Shortly after the marathon, I went on to have the first of two 9-hour surgeries, with the second surgery taking place the following year and resulting in a 9-day stay within the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital."
Now, Sarah is in recovery and has returned to work, as the doctors successfully removed 60-70% of the tumour, giving Sarah approximately another 10 years of life.
But there have been complications along the way. One side effect of the surgery is that Sarah has ongoing double vision due to the tumour’s proximity to her optic nerve. And, despite completing the marathon only a year ago, a 5km run is now a struggle for her.
Despite this, money invested in brain tumour research has been far lower than the amounts invested in other cancers and, as a result, there has not been the same progress in treatment and survival.
“I chose to support Brain Research UK because although I know I will most likely always have a brain tumour, research can bring us a step closer to a cure for future generations.”
