A mum’s symptoms allegedly went misdiagnosed before it was revealed she had a life-threatening brain tumour.
Sara Birnie had been experiencing fainting episodes with dizziness and blackouts for a year until doctors found the serious problem. It came in January when the 34-year-old fainted twice during a lunch with friends and was taken to hospital.
“I'd stand up and everything would go dark,” she recalled of the faintings. "I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my head and then I'd just black out.”
Until doctors found the cause, the Northamptonshire mum said it was ‘always’ in the back of her mind that ‘something serious might be wrong’.
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And at first, medical professionals thought Sara was suffering the effects of low blood pressure. But that night in hospital, she began vomiting and lost consciousness again.
A CT scan then revealed a small lesion on her brain and a dangerous build-up of fluid, and she was urgently transferred for brain surgery the next day to relieve the pressure.
"Everything happened faster than I could think,” Sara recalled.
"I went from hoping I'd go home after a few tests to being told I needed emergency brain surgery - it was terrifying.”
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She was in hospital for about a week, wondering if she would see her children again.
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During the procedure, surgeons drilled a hole in Sara's skull to drain the fluid and took a biopsy of the lesion.
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Measuring at just half a millimetre, the mass had managed to block the normal flow of fluid around her brain and tests revealed the growth was a low-grade papillary tumour in the pineal region.
While the tumour was non-cancerous, its location meant it could still be life-threatening.
This news came as ‘pure relief' to Sara. "After weeks of waiting and preparing for the worst, to be told it wasn't cancer felt like I'd been given my life back,” she explained.
"It's changed everything for me. I appreciate the little things now - family walks, watching my children play - all the things I used to take for granted."
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And with this absolute determination to help others, the mum has signed up for Brain Tumour Research’s 99 Miles in November challenge.
"I saw the challenge on Facebook and knew I had to take part because not everyone gets the good news I did,” Sara explained.
"I want to raise money for research so more people can have a better outcome.
"Doing it with my friends makes it even more special - it's something positive to come out of something so scary."
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Sara's story shows how quickly life can change.
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"From blacking out to being rushed for emergency brain surgery is a terrifying experience, and we’re in awe of her strength and positivity.
"Her determination to turn something so frightening into a force for good is truly inspiring."
Jess Battison