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Artist Loses Speech, Discovers Brain Cancer
8 Mar
Summary
- An artist lost her ability to speak, leading to a brain cancer diagnosis.
- She endured headaches and memory lapses for years prior to diagnosis.
- Her artistic diary chronicles her journey through treatment and recovery.
A talented sculptor and ceramacist, Leah Jensen, faced a life-altering diagnosis after losing her ability to speak. For years, Jensen had experienced headaches and memory issues, attributing them to exhaustion. However, in 2020, during a work shift, she suffered impaired vision and the inability to speak, only managing 'um'.
Transported to the hospital, Jensen's symptoms were initially thought to be a stroke due to her young age. After an eight-month wait, she learned she had Grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma, a high-grade brain cancer. Following surgery to remove the tumor, she underwent six weeks of intense radiotherapy and a year of chemotherapy.
Jensen documented her entire ordeal in a hand-stitched fabric diary, now set for exhibition. The diary serves as a visceral record of her experiences, with some entries she has no memory of creating. She is also fundraising for the Brain Tumour Charity, highlighting the underfunded nature of brain cancer research.
