Thousands raised as teen left in coma after brain surgery
THOUSANDS have been raised to support the family of a young girl tragically left in limbo after brain surgery. Amy Hendry went under the knife on Friday, November 13, to remove a brain tumour and remains in a coma- like state.
The 17- year- old’s mother, Christine Campbell said she was overwhelmed by incredible donations to two fundraisers set up to support the family.
“Amy’s so shy, she is such a quiet wee girl, so to see this amount of money raised is just amazing,” she said.
Surgeons have removed 90% of the tumour but tragically, her recovery is far from certain.
Christine said: “We don’t know if she’ll ever be back to normal, everyday function. We just don’t know the extent of the damage that’s been done.”
She is currently awaiting test results from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, which has received scans from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow for analysis.
The family are worried that the cancerous growth in her brain – originally thought to have been a benign tumour – could spread aggressively.
Christine has been touched by the generosity of friends, family and strangers who donated to the fundraiser.
She said: “I’d especially like to thank Amy’s school, St Andrew’s Secondary who raised £ 400 for us and Dunlop’s in Shettleston, which donated £ 100.”
The fundraiser was started by the mother of Amy’s best friend, Sharon Lynn.
Despite having never met, Sharon set up the fundraiser to support Amy’s family and her recovery when she found out about the condition of her daughter’s friend.
“We’ve never actually met but she has been absolutely brilliant,” she said. “Everyone has. I have been absolutely overwhelmed by all these people, some we don’t even know doing all this for us.”
It is unlikely Amy will be able to attend school after the surgery, said Christine.
She added: “It’s going to be a two- year recovery, the doctors told us. But I don’t know exactly what stage we’re going to be at. She’s going to need to go straight onto chemotherapy, there’s no ifs or buts about that.”
Amy had been living with a benign tumour for four years prior to her surgery.
At an MRI scan in October, doctors found that the tumour had grown but advised the family it wasn’t anything to worry about. It was a follow- up phone call with a doctor which revealed Amy’s condition was something to worry about.
Christine said: “I was standing in the kitchen speaking to the doctor and Amy said, ‘ mum, there is one wee thing – I can’t look up’.
“I told the doctor and he said we needed to come in straight away.”
Christine has been visiting Amy every day in the hospital but is frustrated she can’t spend more time with her daughter.
She said: “I’ve been putting the phone up to her ear so that the family can speak to her but it’s just heartbreaking that they can’t come up.
“I have to get the bus out to the hospital and I’m missing three hours of the time I could be spending with Amy.
“Even when I do come over, they’re doing quite a lot of work, so I’m missing quite a lot time with her.
On her way to the hospital and at home, Christine calls the hospital constantly, looking for updates on her daughter.
At the time of going to press, the fundraiser had racked up £ 1139 for Amy and her family.
Another fundraiser was set up by the Northern Irish TikTok user Nuala Devlin.
The video- maker was moved to set up the fund after she learned of Amy’s situation.
She has already raised £ 419 to support the teen.