I woke up one morning in November 2010 with a “dead left leg”. It got worse over the day and my arm started to go numb. I went to the doctor who thought initially it was a stroke but on further investigation I was diagnosed with a glioblastoma. It was a severe shock as I had never been ill before and it was all so sudden.
The tumour was too small to operate on and in too dangerous a location so it was blasted with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I am very lucky that I live near the Western General hospital in Edinburgh.
Due to the effects of the treatment I lost the use of my left side and ended up in the hospital and then in rehab for a total of two months. I received excellent care and my many questions were and continue to be answered.
The tumour has shrunk and I am steadily improving and am able to work again and enjoy life.
My interest in The Brain Tumour Charity began when my son recently undertook a sponsored bicycle ride through France to raise funds for the Charity. I was horrified to learn that research into brain tumours receives less than 2% of total cancer research funding so it is for that reason, that I am anxious to help raise as much money as possible to fund research into the causes and cure of brain tumours.