Teen to sit exams after having brain tumour removed

A Scots schoolgirl is preparing to sit vital exams, less than a year after having a tumour the size of an orange removed from her brain. the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow last June.

The tumour was found after the schoolgirl's mother, Clare, took her to the GP after Beth who is now preparing to sit her Higher exams - started suffering from vomiting, headaches and eye pain.

When the tests revealed she had a tumour, the youngster was sent to the emergency department at the Royal Hospital for Children, with Beth goingontobetreatedbyneurobethmckenzie,16,fromblantyre,southlanarkshire,underwentaneight-houroperationat surgeon Roddy O'kane.

Speaking about him, Beth said:"roddyandtheteamsaved my life. I love Roddy, he gives a sense of hope and joy that you just cling on to."

Prior to the operation she wrote the doctor a note - which the surgeon still carries in his wallet - saying: "Thank you for doingeverythingyoucan,andif I didn't make it in the end, thank youfortrying.it'snotyourfault.

These things just happen."

Withthetumoursuccessfully removed in the operation, tests later showed it was a meningioma and was non-malignant.

Bethandherfamily,including father Peter and her little sister Rosie, were given the news as they headed for a family break.

The schoolgirl recalled: "I felt how you might feel if you were drowning and someone pulled you up, that first breath you gasp in.

"It was relief. I was so happy." Her mother said: "We were en-route to a holiday lodge for a few days when the call came in. When we got to our lodge the first thing we did was shout and ball to the family that it was benign. We had such a celebration!"

She recalled how her own mother had died from cancer, saying she had been "so worried"whenbethreceivedadiagnosis. Shesaid:"mymumhadabrain tumour when I was 22. It was a secondary cancer and she had itremoved.butdoctorscouldn't findtheprimaryandshedied.it all came flooding back.

"I was so worried when they said Beth had a tumour. It was tough to hear but you go on to autopilot. I had to be strong for Beth."