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Teen's headaches dismissed as diet, revealed brain tumour
21 Jun
Summary
- Headaches dismissed as diet, later diagnosed as brain tumour.
- Tumour diagnosis at 15 led to loss of walking and talking ability.
- Young woman now advocates for others to seek medical validation.
Sophie Barclay, now 21, faced a life-changing brain tumour diagnosis at age 15. For years, she suffered severe headaches which doctors attributed to diet or anxiety, making her feel dismissed. This continued until an MRI scan revealed a pilocytic astrocytoma.
Surgery in 2021 removed the tumour, but Sophie developed posterior fossa syndrome (PFS), impacting her ability to walk, talk, and swallow. Through intensive physiotherapy and speech therapy, she regained these functions, a process she acknowledges was faster than usual for PFS.
Having completed her second year of psychology studies, Sophie now campaigns for better recognition of cancer symptoms in young people. She encourages others to trust their instincts and pursue second medical opinions when experiencing persistent health concerns.
