A 40-year-old mum-of-two found herself unable to speak during a work meeting – and later discovered that it was all because of eight tumours in her brain
A mum who found herself unable to speak during a work meeting was shocked to discover that she was suffering from eight brain tumours.
Laura Critchley was presenting a Teams meeting at her job as director of SEND at a multi-academy trust when she became confused and struggled to speak. The 40-year-old was then taken to her car by a colleague but realised she couldn’t remember how to start it.
It was then that she was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary, where scans revealed multiple brain tumours. Laura’s partner, Lee Vaughan, explained: “A stroke nurse sent her for a CT scan, which showed something abnormal but not a stroke. While waiting in A&E she suffered two major seizures and was rushed into resus. She was stabilised overnight, and the next morning we were told to prepare for the worst news.”
An MRI showed that Laura had seven tumours on the left side of her brain – which controls speech – and one deep in the centre.
The mum-of-two is now getting ready to undergo surgery on November 19th to remove seven of the tumours. Doctors will analyse them to understand what is causing their growth, Lee said.
He said: “At first, the plan was to monitor things with regular MRIs, but because Laura is young and otherwise healthy, the specialists decided it was safer to operate. We’ve tried to keep things as normal as possible for our two boys, Brody, 10 and Fraser, seven.”
Lee continued: “We explained it using football – when a player clashes heads, they have to stop to let their brain heal. It’s like that with mummy. They know she will be having surgery and that she will be in hospital for a while.”
Laura’s partner said they don’t know if her condition is genetic, and if it is their sons could each have a 50% chance of inheriting it. He is now taking on Brain Tumour Research’s 99 Miles November challenge to raise awareness, and has already drummed up £2,000 in support.
The challenge can be completed by walking, running, cycling or swimming, and Lee’s target is to raise £2,740 — which is worth a full day of research at one of Brain Tumour Research’s centres.
He said: “Laura was the one who encouraged me to take part. She tagged me in a Facebook post about the challenge and told me to use my running for something positive … It’s a way of feeling like we’re doing something that matters, something that could help other families like ours”.
Speaking about the impact Laura’s operation has had on his sons, Lee said: “Brody, who is 10, has already asked the hardest questions, wondering if she will be all right or if she might die. It is heart-breaking, but they have coped better than we ever expected.”
Meanwhile, Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Laura and Lee’s story is one that so many families can relate to, from the shock of diagnosis to the strength it takes to keep going. Lee’s determination to turn something so difficult into a force for good is incredibly inspiring. Every mile he runs and every pound raised helps us get closer to finding a cure.”
To support Lee in the 99 Miles in November challenge, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Lee1759383407665
