A Scots mum has lost her short-term memory after surgery to remove a brain tumour that she originally thought was a migraine. Gillian Wilson, 53, originally believed her pounding headaches were a result of stress.
But in 2010, the mum was left stunned after she was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma – a benign but concerning growth – when an eye test led to her being referred for an MRI scan.
That summer, Gillian, from Glasgow, had an operation to remove the tumour but started to become forgetful in the months that followed. Doctors discovered that the tumour had grown back and was filling with fluid, requiring another operation to insert a shunt.
Since then, she has undergone countless surgeries, including the removal of her pituitary gland, and a course of radiotherapy that saw her lose her hair. The removal of the pituitary gland led to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Her 24-year-old daughter, Alisha, has revealed the impact the operation had on her mum's retention. She told Glasgow Live: "She now has no short-term memory at all. It's crazy, she can tell you anything that happened before her first operation, but she couldn't tell you what she had for dinner two hours ago."
Alisha, who was just 11 when her mum was first diagnosed, revealed she "didn't have a clue" how severe her mum's illness was back in 2010. She said: "Mum was in hospital for weeks, and I wasn't allowed in to see her. It was heartbreaking because I'm very close to mum. I asked the nurses 'Is mum going to die?' but they reassured me that they were doing their best."
In the years since, she has raised thousands of pounds for charity, inspired by her mum's determination to live life to the full. The devoted daughter, who has just completed the Kiltwalk to raise more cash for Brain Tumour Research, wants others to avoid going through her mum's own battle to survive.
Assistant teacher Alisha said of the Kiltwalk: "I don't think my legs have ever been so tired, but it was so worth it. This is a cause that's really close to my heart.
"Who knows where my mum would be if it wasn't for all of the research that has already been done? If we can get funding for more research, then maybe others don't need to go through what mum has."
Brain Tumour Research says just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research is allocated to conditions like those diagnosed in Gillian. However, the charity says brain tumours kill more adults and children under the age of 40 than any other form of cancer.
Matthew Price, community development manager at the non-profit, said: "We're so proud of Alisha for successfully completing the Glasgow Kiltwalk. We're really grateful 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 Gillian who are forced to fight this awful disease.
"The next Kiltwalk takes place in Aberdeen on Sunday, June 4. I would encourage anyone to sign up because it's a really fun day where every pound raised helps fund our vital work."
Alisha's fundraising page can be viewed here.
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