A woman diagnosed with two brain tumours more than 20 years apart is sharing her story to highlight the lack of funding into the disease.
Esme Ramsden, who is behind day 16 of our Advent Appeal, was just five when she underwent 31 gruelling sessions of radiotherapy for an astrocytoma after a series of headaches and vomiting.
Twenty-two years later, in May 2023, she had more intensive radiotherapy for an acoustic neuroma after a routine scan found a new growth.
The side effects of treatment have had life-changing consequences for 27-year-old Esme, who has impaired vision and limited mobility on one side of her body.
Esme said: “I thought having a brain tumour was something that happened to you as part of growing up. I remember wondering when my friends would get their diagnoses. At the time, I didn’t realise it was a disease with no cure.
“We need to speed up the research, so more people can say, ‘I’m a survivor of brain tumours’.”
Open door 16 of our Advent Calendar to watch Esme’s moving message: www.braintumourresearch.org/pages/advent-appeal
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