‘My brain tumour was the size of a satsuma’
MUM TAKES UP WALK CHALLENGE TO THANK MEDICS
A MUM who had a brain tumour the “size of a satsuma” successfully removed is taking up a fundraising challenge to thank the medics who saved her life.
Lauren Vickers, of Beeston, had surgery in July 2020 to have her brain tumour, a low-grade glioma, removed.
Initially, before realising the severity of the situation, the 33-year-old experienced symptoms including feelings of deja vu, followed by periods of hot flushes, feeling faint, dizziness and heart palpitations.
She said: “I had a young daughter, Elise, and I was running a business, and at first I just thought it was a normal thing to feel so stressed.”
But in January 2020 Lauren suffered a seizure and, later that month, an MRI scan revealed she had a brain tumour.
Doctors said it was likely the tumour had been there for many years.
Lauren said: “I didn’t know anything about brain tumours and I made the mistake of Googling them, which only made me feel more worried.
“It was stressful and upsetting, and the scariest thought I had was the possibility of dying.
“Now I know, if you have questions you should wait until you speak to the professionals because they know what they’re doing.”
Lauren was referred to NUH consultant, Professor Stuart Smith, who gave her a range of options to consider, including surgery.
She said: “When I had my consultation with Professor Smith, he explained everything really well and made me feel a lot more at ease. I had a lot of trust in him. After hearing the options I chose surgery, and it was, pardon the pun, a no-brainer.”
In July, Lauren had her operation at the Queen’s Medical Centre, where she underwent an “awake left temporal craniotomy” with ultrasound guidance to remove the tumour.
Professor Smith said: “The tumour had likely been present in Lauren’s brain for many years, slowly growing to the point where it had provoked a seizure. The operation involved myself and anaesthetist Dr Mike Bennett and speech and language therapist Terry Killick, carefully working together, and with Lauren, to test her speech whilst electrically stimulating her brain to map out which areas of the brain and tumour are safe to remove and which are controlling her ability to speak, and are therefore not safe to remove.
“If the patient is asleep under a conventional general anaesthetic we have no way of knowing if we are doing permanent harm, such as robbing the patient of their ability to speak, whilst removing tumour.
“Asking such commitment from the patient requires careful counselling and support from the theatre team, including our clinical nurse specialist, Kelly Dawson, and others.”
The following day, a post-surgery MRI confirmed the entire tumour, which measured 5.5cm by 4cm by 3.5cm – the size of a satsuma, had been successfully removed.
Professor Smith said: “If left untreated the tumour would have continued to grow, and would eventually transform to a cancerous malignant tumour called a highgrade glioma, which would sadly be terminal at that point.”
Lauren is now being regularly monitored with MRI scans to check there is no sign of tumour regrowth.
To thank those who helped her, the mum-of-one is now raising money to support NUH and Professor Smith, who saved her life.
She is walking 100 miles this month – Brain Tumour Awareness Month – and aiming to raise £1,000 for NUH’S Brain Tumour Centre, which was recently recognised as a centre of excellence by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.
Speaking after her surgery, Lauren said: “I cannot speak highly enough of the staff at the QMC. Absolutely everyone was amazing, from the pre-op to the after-care.
“The little things they did, like putting my hair in a plait when they shaved part of my head for the incision, meant so much to me.
“I just feel so lucky with what they’ve managed to achieve with the operation. Knowing I no longer have to worry about not being around to watch my little girl grow up, I can’t thank Professor Smith and his team enough, and through my fundraising, I’d like to give something back.”
Professor Smith said: “In general, if someone is diagnosed with a brain tumour they should be reviewed by a specialist multi-disciplinary team, such as the one we have in Nottingham.
“There are many different types of brain tumour, ranging from very slow growing to very aggressive forms, which require very different approaches.
“Our specialist nurse service support and guide patients and families through this, linking to information and online resources such as the Brain Tumour Charity.
“The holistic support our specialist nurses provide, combined with access to cutting-edge surgical techniques, hi-tech imaging and pathology, with rapid access to oncology treatments are what make Nottingham’s brain tumour service first rate.
“The most rewarding aspect of my role is the satisfaction from knowing we have provided a gold standard service to Lauren and other brain tumour patients, helping to alleviate, to a degree, what is for many the most distressing event in their lives.”
To donate to Lauren’s fundraising, go to: uk.gofundme. com/f/100-miles-in-march-braintumour-awareness-month.