Lisa Connell’s own brain tumour diagnosis
Lisa Connell has turned her own lived experience into a force to drive awareness, support and fundraising for so many causes including ours. She shares her experiences across social media channels and during our major campaigns and awareness drives, such as Brain Tumour Awareness Months (BTAM). Last year she became an official High Profile Influencer for The Charity, using her expertise to help others.
Her own fundraising platform, Influential Stars, set up in 2023, was re-launched in January. It has since carved out a distinctive place in the UK’s charitable landscape as “a movement built on connection, generosity, empathy and impact.”
Through 48 charitable prize draws to date, the platform has raised thousands for charities and crowdfunding campaigns supporting people living with life-limiting conditions. It’s a project driven by Lisa’s determination and resilience, alongside her incredible team.
“I wanted something that feels good to give where people enjoy the journey and the cause benefits in a meaningful way,” she explains. “This relaunch brings our mission to life more clearly, helping creators and supporters connect with causes in ways that genuinely inspire.”
Lisa’s own brain tumour diagnosis echoes so many other people’s experiences: “I was diagnosed with an inoperable meningioma in 2006 – a brain tumour described as benign, although I have long advocated that benign does not mean fine.
“The diagnosis followed a pregnancy in 2005. I miscarried at four months, but the investigations that followed revealed the tumour and I was told I might never walk again. Overnight my life changed completely.
“Determined not to accept that as the final outcome, my dad bought me a membership at a local gym and I began rebuilding my strength and coordination. For months, I spent around five hours a day, five days a week retraining my brain through balance and movement exercises.
“It was exhausting and often painful, but six months later I completed a 10k run for a brain tumour charity. I didn’t run the entire distance and had to walk parts of it, but I achieved far more than I had been told would ever be possible.”
Living with the effects of treatment
Lisa’s tumour has left lifelong consequences. She is deaf in her left ear and has balance and coordination difficulties, a speech impairment, memory loss, and the effects of a stroke down her right side as a result of debulking surgery. Like so many other people have explained, these issues are invisible which can make them difficult for others to understand, but they are a constant part of daily life.
In 2016, despite being warned that pregnancy could be dangerous for her, Lisa gave birth to a little girl, Ruby.
“At the time my tumour was stable, although I have since learned it is now slowly growing again, which makes her presence in my life feel even more miraculous.
“I have always believed that things happen for a reason and that miracles do occur. Becoming a High Profile Influencer for The Brain Tumour Charity and a patron of another organisation, has strengthened my belief that I am here to use my voice to raise awareness and create change.“
Influential inspiration to help others
Her fundraising platform epitomises Lisa’s drive to inspire and support others and allows creators and collaborators to design their own charitable campaigns, driving impact through building communities.
Influential Stars is more than a platform to me — it is my legacy, something I hope will continue long after me and one day be carried forward by my daughter.”
Lisa Connell
Find out more and get involved here
Learn more about our High Profile Supporters
We work with other high profile supporters like Lisa Connell who help us raise awareness and funds for our research, support, and campaigning.
For more on the incredible people we work with, click the button below: