‘I’m beaming again after brain tumour therapy gave me my life back’
By News Reporter Job title in here
A TEENAGER has told how pioneering treatment for a potentially fatal brain tumour has helped her lead a normal life again.
EveWilson was helped by the UK’s first NHS proton beam therapy unit, which opened at Manchester’s Christie Hospital in 2018 and has since treated more than 1,250 cancer patients.
PBT is a form of radiotherapy, but without X-rays. It uses high-energy protons and does not release energy until it hits the tumour – doing less damage to surrounding tissue.
Eve, now 15, was just 10 when she was diagnosed with rare non-cancerous brain tumour craniopharyngioma in 2019.
She said: “I’ve never been looked after in a hospital as well as I was at The Christie.
“The staff made me feel comfortable and prepared, so I wasn’t scared before treatment.
“If I felt unwell, the nurses would take care of me – I’d also never had a health play specialist to look after me before.
“They even let me switch my treatment times, so we could drive home for the last hour of my last day at primary school – we did a 240-mile school run.”
PBT is suitable for only a small number of cancer types, such as where the tumour is close to critical body parts like the brain or spinal cord.
Eve’s growth was benign, but it was blocking the circulation of fluid around her brain and putting pressure on her head – potentially life-threatening if left untreated.
But PBT saved the Portsmouth youngster by stopping her tumour from growing. Doctors operated on her the day after her diagnosis, but could not remove the growth due to its site.
They drained it to relieve some pressure, but in spring 2020, a scan showed a new tumour had grown in a different location. She was then referred to The Christie for 28 sessions of daily PBT.
Her mum, Penny, said: “I was worried about taking her so far from home. So the fact that she was so comfortable at The Christie is a real credit to all the staff.” Eve’s tumour has now stopped growing and she has had no further treatment since 2020. Last November, armed with toys for young patients that she bought through fundraising, she returned to The Christie for a check-up .
Eve said: “The doctor told us everything was still fine and we talked a bit about my future after treatment.
“I love dancing and was worried I might not be able to do it as much, but he encouraged me to keep doing the things I enjoy.”
She added: It was so great to see everyone. Coming back was a really positive experience for me.”
The Christie’s PBT clinical director Professor Ed Smith said the five-year anniversary was “a big milestone for us”.
He added: “We also have a range of clinical trials open and the UK’s only dedicated PBT research room, helping us to develop what the future of treatment will look like as well.”