A mum tragically died of cancer after thinking the dizziness she had been experiencing was just 'baby brain'.
Just six months after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, Anneka Johnstone sadly passed away on November 18, 2019 at the age of 33. Glioblastoma in an aggressive type of cancer that occurs in the brain or spinal cord.
Her husband Alan explained that she had been suffering from dizzy spells and put it down to 'baby brain' after the birth of her daughter, Sienna, who's now four. The pair brushed it off until Anneka fell while holding her baby.
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As the Daily Record reports, the mum-of-one was unable to lift her feet up and was rushed to hospital in June 2019 where the couple were told she had herpes simplex virus and she was given antibiotics.
However, a week later Anneka and Alan's world fell apart when Anneka was officially diagnosed with a glioblastoma grade IV - a malignant brain tumour.
Alan, a medical technician, said: "It hit us all like a tonne of bricks, Anneka wanted to see her daughter grow up. After being told the news, we drove back to tell the family. The first person Anneka saw when she walked through the door was Sienna - she collapsed.
"All she wanted was to be a mum, be there for Sienna's 18th and watch her get married." Alan, 38, and Anneka met while she was 17 and Alan was 18, while he was on leave from the military, and said it was "love at first sight".
The couple got married in 2015 and later had Sienna on October 13, 2018. In the summer of 2019, Alan said Anneka was suffering with spells of dizziness. When taken to hospital, she was first told she had herpes simplex virus until an MRI scan and a biopsy on the brain, confirmed the devastating news.
Alan said: "It was sickening knowing the person she was and that there was nothing I could do. I could see the fear in her eyes, she was terrified - like anyone would be at 33 years old. Anneka was dealing with it well, but the family was not, we knew there was nothing we could do."
After being diagnosed, Anneka's health started to deteriorate, and she spent much of the last few months in hospital. The former dietician was moved to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and stayed in the palliative care unit.
Alan said: "We had a rota with the family so someone could spend 24 hours with her. You could spend 24 hours with her but only get 30 seconds of the real Anneka."
Anneka passed away on November 18, 2019 - six months after being diagnosed. Alan said: "It has been a tough road for me - going from a close-knit family to being single with a 13-month-old.
"Sienna gave me a totally different focus, she is my number one. I give her as much love as I can give her - she is the reason I get up in the morning."
This year, Alan will be running the London Marathon in memory of Anneka and to raise money for The Brain Tumour Organisation. So far, Alan has raised £55k for the charity after walking 215 miles across Scotland in a week.
Alan said: "I am doing this for the next person who is diagnosed. What would help is a change in government funding and a change in how they invest in the brain tumour charities.
"Not enough money is being invested into it. My mum and Anneka's mum are going to bring Sienna down, they will be supporting me.
"Hopefully I will get to the end without many tears, raise as much money as possible and share Anneka's story. I will never forget the stamp she put on the world and hope there is loads of Annie in Sienna as she grows."
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