A Newtownbreda mum has thanked her 12-year-old son and also her neighbour for 'saving her life'.
Jill Johnston had a seizure on May 1 and was taken to the Ulster Hospital, later finding out she had a cancerous brain tumour.
The 40-year-old has showed her thanks for the actions of her son, Tyler Tsang, and neighbour, James McCullough, for all they did for her.
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The mum-of-one was previously diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2020, and says she has been told her brain tumour was caused by her previous breast cancer.
Jill said she is now waiting to find out if she has breast cancer again.
The Newtownbreda woman explained her symptoms before she suffered the seizure.
She told Belfast Live: "I was diagnosed on 23rd June 2020 [with breast cancer].
"The breast cancer was called Stage 3 HER2 positive breast cancer. That involved having 38 lymph nodes removed. I finished my treatment last January [2022] and the last mammogram I had was last March. It was clear."
Jill added: "For about four months now I have been taking spasm in my left hand, so I went to the doctor and they thought maybe there was a bit of nerve damage because my operation previous for the lymph nodes was in the left.
"They referred me to physio - and they said it's nothing to do with them, they thought it was neurology I needed to see.
"I have been waiting for a neurology appointment."
The 40-year-old explained what happened on the day she had her seizure - and the quick actions of her son, Tyler, and neighbour, James.
Jill said: "I want to give recognition to my 12-year-old son and my neighbour for saving my life. If they didn't act the way they did, I wouldn't be here.
"On the 1st of May, I was in the house with my son and I took a spasm that went the whole way up my arm and into my face, and into my head until I started taking a full seizure, foaming at the mouth, and I just screamed for help.
"Tyler ran over to my neighbour, James McCullough, [he] came over and I was in a full seizure... completely unconscious, incontinent.
"Tyler phoned his grandmother, and they phoned an ambulance while James was working on me."
The South Belfast mum added: "The emergency response team came out first, and they worked on me for a while, and then an ambulance came and took me to hospital.
"First I went to the Ulster and they done a scan on my brain and they found a cancerous brain tumour. They kept me in for the rest of the night and sent me home with some medication.
"The next day I had a phone call from the surgeon, and [they] said: 'We need to get this operated on'."
Jill had the operation to remove the tumour on May 15 and has just returned home from hospital.
She added: "The operation was for five hours. They were very successful at removing the tumour. The tumour was 3.8cm in size and it was 11.2 grams in weight.
"I panicked because they [had] said: 'This could possibly be secondary breast cancer' which was the worst fear ever.
"After that, I started taking full body seizures, but I'm still waiting on an EEG result for that."
The Newtownbreda woman said she has now been told the brain tumour did come from her previous breast cancer, and that she is going to be on epilepsy medication for the rest of her life.
Jill added: "My seizures - I am alert, I am awake, and I am learning how to control them, but I will still always have them.
"It's a bit crap, but it's something I am going to have to learn to deal with. I am not allowed to be left alone. I have to be supervised 24/7.
"In the results when I spoke to the surgeon on Friday, he said the brain tumour has come from my previous breast cancer.
"So I have to go back to the breast clinic, because I possibly might have another breast cancer.
"I'm alive, I am a very positive, strong-minded person. I've been through it before, I can do it again. I'm just happy to be alive."
Jill explained how grateful she is for her son, who is being supported by Cancer Fund For Children, and James's actions.
The mum-of-one said: "I just to want to say that I am so grateful that my son, for all the age of him, is my hero. If he didn't respond so quickly and run and get someone, I wouldn't be here today.
"I am so proud of him... Such a good child."
She added: "And James was absolutely amazing. I am forever in his debt.
"I just want to raise awareness. I didn't think this was going to happen."
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