Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Son’s headaches made me fear a brain tumour
Sally Gunnell has always had a talent for clearing hurdles. Her mother’s mental breakdown gave her the determination to become an Olympian, and she beat back pain to win gold in the 400m hurdles at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
“I have learnt to look at things in a positive way,” says Sally.
“My mum had a complete breakdown when I was 15 and I think that made me who I am. It’s why I won my medals because it made me tough. I had to grow up and learn how to dig in.”
But she says her biggest hurdle came recently, when the 52-year-old mum-ofthree feared her son had a brain tumour.
Luca, now 18, had suffered tiredness and mood swings for most of his life.
“When he was young he could never stay awake past 7pm and was always on edge, argumentative,” Sally says.
And from the moment he could talk, Luca told her of a pain in his head.
Sally, who now works on TV and as a motivational speaker, and her husband, performance coach Jonathan Bigg, took him to a succession of doctors and specialists. Yet despite his recurring symptoms they were repeatedly told there was nothing wrong, and were reassured Luca would “grow out of it”.
Sally however, remained concerned and when he began to suffer nosebleeds too, she started to fear a brain tumour.
“The headaches were so severe and came so often it was a real worry,” she says. “As a mum, you start to think the worst. I was not getting desperate, because all the doctors were telling me he was fine, but I could not help worrying it was a brain tumour.”
Thankfully, and much to Sally’s relief, the nosebleeds turned out to be a passing phase. And finally, last year, the family discovered it was wheat that was the trigger for Luca’s headaches.
Blood tests confirmed his brother, Finley, 20, who with his mother’s athletic gene is a promising 800-metre runner, was also intolerant to wheat and dairy. Sally reacts to egg and cow’s milk, and Jonathan is advised to avoid dairy foods. Marley, 14, has yet to be tested.
Unlike allergies, which involve an almost immediate and sometimes life-threatening reaction, food intolerances can take up to 72 hours to trigger symptoms, which makes them difficult to diagnose. “these days it’s for vanity, and so I can enjoy my glass of wine and roast dinner.
“For me, it’s more about my mental health and strength because running puts me in the right place and kickstarts all those positive endorphins.”
And Sally knows how important it is to look after her mental health.
“Mental health problems have affected my family for years. My mum, her twin sister and her brother struggled with depression and I think some of that is hereditary,” she says.
“That’s why it’s so important to keep yourself strong. There are some days when it’s the last thing I want to do, but exercise has been my sanity.”
Running for charities also helps her