Kerry Brown, 54, started noticing hot flashes and tingling sensations back in 2017. At the time, she assumed these changes were linked to menopause and did not raise immediate concern.
Sadly, the symptoms were not related to hormonal changes. As her condition progressed, she eventually needed both radiotherapy and surgery to manage what doctors later discovered.
When her vision started to decline, she visited an optician. This led to a referral for an MRI scan, where doctors first noticed swelling behind her eye and then identified four brain tumors.
She underwent surgery in July 2019. During the operation, doctors made a more alarming discovery, finding a total of ten tumors. They removed five, while the remaining tumors were left in place and monitored closely.
She has opened up about how overwhelming the experience has been, especially the shock of learning about the number of tumors and the need for continued treatment.
She said: “I remember walking in and seeing pictures of brains on the wall and thinking ‘this can’t be good’.”
“I was completely stunned. My partner, Gary, was with me, and thankfully he stayed calm.”
Kerry went on to explain: “When I woke up after the surgery, they told me they hadn’t found four tumors – they’d found 10.”
“I spent about five days in hospital and the tumors were confirmed as meningiomas – the most common form of adult primary brain tumor.”
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.”
Ashley McWilliams, a community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, added: “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.”
