A UK mother initially assumed the health problems she was experiencing were linked to menopause, not multiple potentially life-threatening tumors.
Kerry Brown, a 54-year-old from the UK, began dealing with hot flushes and ‘tingling sensations’ back in 2017. At the time, she brushed them off as typical hormonal changes.
However, her condition was caused by something far more serious, and she would later need surgery as well as radiotherapy.
Over the next two years, the symptoms intensified. She became increasingly tired, started slurring her words, and faced a range of other concerning issues.
When her eyesight began to deteriorate, she visited an optician and was then referred for an MRI. The scan found swelling behind her eye and revealed four brain tumors that required removal.
Surgery went ahead in July 2019, but doctors discovered the situation was more extensive than first believed. In total, they found ten tumors; five were removed, while the remaining growths were kept under observation.
Since the operation, Kerry has experienced seizures, lost sight in one eye, and has been informed that two of the tumors have begun to grow again, meaning she now needs radiotherapy.
She has also spoken about how shocked she felt when she learned she had multiple tumors and that further treatment might be necessary.
She said: “I remember walking in and seeing pictures of brains on the wall and thinking ‘this can’t be good’.
“The consultant asked whether I’d been having headaches and if I could walk upstairs, before explaining they had identified four brain tumors.
“I was completely stunned. My partner, Gary, was with me, and thankfully he stayed calm.”
Kerry continued: “When I woke up after the surgery, they told me they hadn’t found four tumors – they’d found 10.
“I remember joking ‘every time I speak to you, you find more’ – but inside, I was terrified.
“I spent about five days in hospital and the tumors were confirmed as meningiomas – the most common form of adult primary brain tumor.”
In the wake of her diagnosis, Kerry has begun fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, aiming to increase awareness and draw attention to the fact that brain tumor research is still widely underfunded.
She said: “Knowing how underfunded research into brain tumors is, and having experienced this first-hand, really motivated me.
“I know what it’s like to go through this. I’ve lived it.
“If sharing my story helps raise awareness or helps someone else feel less alone, then it’s worth it.”
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Kerry’s experience highlights how symptoms of a brain tumor can be mistaken for more common conditions, leading to delays in diagnosis.
“Stories like Kerry’s remind us why this work is so urgently needed.”