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Student's headaches masked brain tumor
7 Jun
Summary
- A 20-year-old student initially mistook brain tumor symptoms for stress.
- She underwent extensive surgery and radiotherapy for a 5cm brain tumor.
- Her family is fundraising for international clinical trials not available on the NHS.
A 20-year-old chemical engineering student named Annelise Donelon, also known as Annie, initially attributed her severe headaches to exam stress. These headaches, described as feeling like a 'bandsaw,' were later diagnosed as a 5cm high-grade brain tumor. The growth caused significant pressure within her brain.
Annie underwent an 11-hour surgery to remove the majority of the tumor at Salford Royal Hospital last October. This was followed by a six-week course of radiotherapy, which led to hair loss. Her family is now exploring private international treatments and clinical trials to help her recover and return to university.
These advanced therapies, including molecular profiling in London and targeted molecular therapy in Paris, are unavailable on the NHS. Annie is set to begin immunotherapy treatment in Germany, for which her family is fundraising £100,000. She aims to study biochemistry and develop treatments for similar conditions upon her recovery.
