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Suitcase Fall Reveals Terminal Brain Cancer Diagnosis
13 Mar
Summary
- A 35lb suitcase falling on a woman's head led to her cancer diagnosis.
- She was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer after the incident.
- She is campaigning for a drug not available in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
A London-bound train journey took a devastating turn for Lauren Macpherson when a 35lb suitcase fell from overhead storage, striking her head. This incident, occurring in March 2023, prompted immediate medical attention and revealed a shadow on her brain. Subsequent scans confirmed it was a brain tumor, a diagnosis that profoundly altered Macpherson's life plans. She had recently celebrated passing exams for a work promotion and buying her first home.
Macpherson had been experiencing symptoms like fatigue and emotional dysregulation for a year, attributing them to hormones or undiagnosed ADHD. The train incident, however, brought these underlying issues to the forefront. Doctors initially suspected glioblastoma, a fast-growing cancer, but a biopsy after surgery revealed a grade two oligodendroglioma, a rare and incurable brain tumor.
Surgery in late October 2023 successfully removed approximately 80% of the tumor. However, the recovery was arduous, impacting her speech and cognitive function. Macpherson has since created an Instagram page to share her journey and connect with others. She is now campaigning for the availability of vorasidenib, a treatment approved in Scotland but not yet in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, to slow cancer progression.
