A MOTHER of three from Warrington was shocked to be told that a persistent ringing in her ears was a brain tumour.
Megan Williamson, 46, had initially put her symptoms down to recent long-haul flights and sought medical advice after the tinnitus persisted, only to learn she had a slow-growing brain tumour, bringing back painful memories of losing a childhood friend to a more aggressive type.
A scan at Leighton Hospital in Crewe revealed the cause – a rare, non-cancerous brain tumour known as a vestibular schwannoma, which affects the nerve responsible for hearing and balance.
Megan said: “I honestly thought it was nothing, just pressure from flying or blocked ears. I remember thinking, this is silly, they’ll probably tell me to pop my ears and it’ll all go away. But the ringing didn’t stop, and it was getting on my nerves. With three teenagers in the house, silence is rare, so when things are quiet, you really notice it. I finally booked an appointment and was referred for a scan.
“When the GP called and said they’d found something, I felt like the floor disappeared beneath me. She told me it was low-grade but that didn’t stop the panic. The word ‘tumour’ is terrifying. I just kept thinking, how do I tell my husband? How do I tell the kids? What will this mean for our future?”
Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and around 12,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour each year. Yet, just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Following the diagnosis, Megan was referred to The Walton Centre in Liverpool for further tests. The results confirmed that the tumour was slow-growing and sits on the nerve responsible for hearing and balance. As doctors found no immediate danger in discovering the tumour, Megan was advised against surgery at this stage due to the potential risks.
She is now taking part in the “200k in May Your Way” challenge, where participants can walk, run, cycle, swim or combine activities to cover 200 kilometres throughout the month and raise funds for Brain Tumour Research.
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Megan’s story is a powerful reminder that symptoms like tinnitus should never be ignored. Brain tumours kill more women under 35 than breast cancer, yet research into the disease remains woefully underfunded. We are incredibly grateful to Megan for bravely sharing her experience and helping to shine a light on this devastating illness. Her determination to raise awareness and take on the 200k in May challenge brings us one step closer to finding a cure.”
To support Megan’s 200k fundraising challenge, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/donate/646345944970534/
