An Edinburgh teenager who has no feeling on the top of her head after undergoing surgery has said that her brain tumour is "getting in the way of her dream job".
Molly Whitelaw, 18, was diagnosed with the "constantly growing" brain tumour in January 2021, reports the Daily Record.
The Edinburgh youth was sent straight to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh following a routine eye check-up, after her optician couldn't see the back of her eye.
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A CT scan revealed a mass on her brain, which was swelling, and Molly was then rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People for an MRI scan.
It was there that the brain tumour was confirmed. The teenager, who is currently studying childhood practice at Edinburgh College, said: "Since my diagnosis, scans show my tumour has been constantly growing and I’m really concerned because I may need to have surgery again.
"It’s the height of assessment season and I don’t want to miss anything. I’m at college training for my dream job of working with nursery school children but my brain is getting in the way.”
When she was younger, Molly had a squint in her eye, but it began "turning out again" in January 2021 - which is when she decided to go to the opticians.
Molly said: "I instantly thought of cancer and it really scared me. I had an operation which went well but since then, I haven’t been able to feel the top of my head because of damage to a nerve ending, it’s really weird.
"I finish my course at the end of May. I’m currently doing a placement at Busy Bees Nursery in Broughton, I love it and hope to work there. I get dizziness quite often and really bad migraines but I’ve got medication which gets rid of it."
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Despite the tumour, Molly has been taking on the Jog 26.2 Miles in May Challenge, in order to raise vital money for charity Brain Tumour Research.
Molly said: "This is a big challenge for me, but I am determined to raise awareness of this disease. I want to raise money to help fund research because it will help others, and hopefully me, in the future. I just want to get better."
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "We’re really grateful to Molly for taking on the Jog 26.2 miles in May challenge as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like her who are forced to fight this awful disease."
The Jog 26.2 Miles in May challenge, which is now in its third year, raises vital funds to help find a cure for brain tumours.
Participants are asked to sign up via Facebook or JustGiving. More information is available on the Brain Tumour Research website here.
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