Aunty M Brain Tumours Talk Show

Jaime was diagnosed with an IDH-mutant astrocytoma — but not in the way anyone would expect.After surviving a traumatic brain injury years earlier, Jaime went through scans and rehabilitation to relearn how to walk, talk and function again. It was only much later, after noticing worsening tremors following the birth of her third baby, that more tests revealed something nobody had ever told her before:There had been a small mass on her brain all along.In this honest and uplifting interview, Jaime shares:• Finding out about her brain tumour completely by accident• The shock of learning something had been seen on earlier scans• Living through watch and wait• Why she pushed for second and third opinions• Choosing laser ablation surgery• Being diagnosed with a grade 2 astrocytoma• Starting Vorasidenib for her IDH-mutant tumour• Seeing her tumour begin to shrink• Living with uncertainty while raising three children• Staying present and finding joy in everyday life Jaime speaks powerfully about advocacy, openness, and making the most of life even when the future feels uncertain.Her message is clear:Stand up for yourself. Ask questions. Stay present. Book the trip. Get the tattoo.This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, prior traumatic brain injury, surgery, scan monitoring, and long-term uncertainty.

Austen was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) in February 2025.After years of worsening balance and hearing issues, he was repeatedly told nothing was wrong — until an MRI revealed multiple tumours.At first, he was told there were four.Then eight.Then seven in his spine.A total of 15 tumours.In this honest and down-to-earth interview, Austen shares:• Being dismissed for years before finally getting answers• The shock of being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition• Finding out the full extent of his tumours in an unexpected moment• Living with hearing loss and balance issues• Starting lifelong treatment with Avastin• Making the decision not to have high-risk surgery• The uncertainty of symptoms — not knowing what is tumour-related• Fatigue and the reality of daily life with NF2• Leaving work to prioritise his health• The mental challenge of not knowing what the future holdsAusten speaks openly about how isolating rare conditions can feel — and why connecting with others who truly understand makes such a difference.He also shares how something as simple as getting a dog completely changed his life, giving him purpose, routine, and a reason to keep going.His message is simple:You can’t let it run your life. Just take it day by day.This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, chronic illness, lifelong treatment, hearing loss, fatigue, and mental health challenges.

Shahleen Hussain was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour in 2014, when she was just 14 years old.It began with passing out in school, nosebleeds, and double vision.What followed was years of hospital appointments, scans, uncertainty, steroid treatment, seizures, and the life-changing reality of living with both a brain tumour and epilepsy from a young age.Because of where the tumour is located, it is inoperable. Shahleen has lived for years with six-monthly MRI and CT scans, ongoing symptoms, and the fear that one day doctors may tell her it has started growing again.In this incredibly honest interview, Shahleen shares:• Being diagnosed as a child• Her parents being told she had only six months to live• Missing school and watching her whole family be affected• Bullying after steroid-related weight gain• Hair loss, weak teeth, and long-term side effects• Living with epilepsy caused by the tumour• The fear and trauma of repeated hospital stays• The financial strain on her family• The silence and stigma in parts of her community• Being told not to talk about illness because it brings “shame”• Why she is now speaking up publicly for othersShahleen’s story is not only about survival.It is about breaking stigma.It is about challenging harmful beliefs.It is about making sure no one feels ashamed of a medical condition.Now 23, Shahleen is using her voice to raise awareness for brain tumours, epilepsy, and the cultural barriers that stop some people from seeking help.This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses childhood brain tumour diagnosis, seizures, epilepsy, bullying, medical trauma, and cultural stigma around illness.

Christy was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2021, during the middle of the pandemic.It was discovered almost by accident.After struggling with body tingling, stress, and the pressure of being a mum and business owner during an incredibly difficult time, she was sent for an MRI as a final step after everything else came back clear.That scan revealed a meningioma.Christy found out by reading the results herself online while sitting in her driveway.The words “mass” and “meningioma” changed everything.At first, she was reassured that this was something slow-growing, something she might live with for years. She even named the tumour “Ruby” and tried to make peace with it. But follow-up scans showed it was growing faster than expected — and suddenly, doing nothing no longer felt like a safe option.In this powerful and deeply honest interview, Christy shares:• Finding out she had a brain tumour through her online medical chart• The emotional shock of diagnosis• Watching a “best case scenario” change• Choosing a craniotomy after multiple opinions• Telling her children• The fear before surgery and the relief of waking up afterwards• The reality of going home just two days after brain surgery• The medication side effects nobody warned her about• Struggling to read, think clearly, and feel like herself• Learning to accept help and be cared for• Creating her Instagram page, Life With Christy K, to document the emotional side of recoveryChristy’s story is not just about the tumour.It’s about what happens after.The invisible recovery.The emotional fallout.The loneliness.And the love that carries you through it.This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, craniotomy, medication side effects, emotional recovery, and mental health challenges after surgery.

At 16, Jake was diagnosed with an inoperable glioblastoma — a diagnosis that forced him into survival mode while others his age were just beginning to explore life.In this episode, Jake shares his deeply personal journey:From early misdiagnosis to life-changing discoveryUndergoing intensive treatment and defying expectationsLiving with ongoing neurological and physical challengesMore than a story of survival, this is a conversation about adaptation, mindset, and rebuilding identity.Jake also explores how he uses:Writing as therapyMusic as rehabilitationDaily wellness practices to manage long-term effectsHis book, Keep Moving But Lay Still, reflects his experience with honesty, humour, and raw insight.This episode highlights an important truth:Survival is not the end of the story — it’s the beginning of a new way of living.🎗️ Part of our Brain Tumour Awareness Month series

Naomi was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma — also known as a vestibular schwannoma — in April 2016.But she knew something wasn’t right long before that.It started with a strange feeling in her ear, as though it was full of wax. Later came problems with balance and coordination, numbness down one side of her face, and the feeling that something was changing — even if it wasn’t immediately understood.Her diagnosis came after an urgent MRI, following a referral from her dentist.What followed was a long and complicated journey through treatment, hearing loss, regrowth, radiation side effects, vestibular rehabilitation, fatigue, identity loss, ill health retirement, and eventually rebuilding life in a completely different way.In this honest and powerful interview, Naomi shares:• The unusual symptoms that came years before diagnosis• The confusion around acoustic neuroma and whether it “counted” as a brain tumour• Choosing stereotactic radiosurgery• Losing hearing on one side• Facing regrowth and needing Gamma Knife treatment• The delayed side effects that changed her life again months later• Falling, fatigue, vestibular rehab and using a walking stick• Leaving the career that had shaped her identity• How Brainstrust helped her find herself again• Discovering creativity, volunteering and building Hope MosaicsNaomi’s story is not just about diagnosis and treatment.It’s about what happens after.It’s about grief, adjustment, identity, and finding new meaning in a life that no longer looks the way it once did.Now, nearly 10 years on from diagnosis, Naomi is using creativity to reconnect with herself and give back to the brain tumour community.This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, treatment, hearing loss, fatigue, regrowth, and the emotional impact of long-term recovery.

Lara shares the story of her daughter Amber, who was diagnosed with a Pilocytic Astrocytoma on 11th May 2010, when she was just eight months old.What began with a strange movement in Amber’s eye quickly became every parent’s worst nightmare. After an MRI, Lara and Amber’s dad were told that something “not very nice” had been found in their baby’s head. From that moment on, life became a cycle of surgery, chemotherapy, scans, uncertainty, and long-term effects that continue to shape Amber’s life today.In this deeply moving story, Lara speaks about:Amber’s diagnosis as a babyHer first nine-hour brain surgeryThe heartbreak and fear of not knowing if their daughter would come homeChemotherapy in early childhoodTravelling to America for proton beam therapyEmergency surgery after treatmentThe long-term impact of brain tumour treatment on memory, hormones, learning and daily lifeThe emotional toll on the whole familyThe support of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, the NHS, and brain tumour charitiesThis episode is a powerful reminder that brain tumours do not just affect one moment in time. For many families, the impact lasts for years — through childhood, adolescence, school, identity, and mental health.Lara’s story is raw, honest, heartbreaking and full of love. Above all, it is a tribute to Amber — her strength, her spirit, and everything she has overcome.Content note: This episode includes discussion of infant diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, long-term effects, and parental trauma.

Barbara is 30 years old and based in Poland. She was diagnosed with a hemangioblastoma in March 2025.Just weeks earlier, she had gotten engaged under the northern lights in Norway and returned home excited to plan her wedding. Then the headaches started.At first, they came every morning. They were consistent, but not alarming enough to make Barbara think it was anything serious. She kept living her normal life — going to work, training for a half-marathon, and planning her future. But the pain didn’t stop, and some mornings it came with nausea.One morning in early March, the pain became unbearable.Barbara went for a CT scan, expecting reassurance. Instead, within an hour of getting home, she received the results: a tumour in her left cerebellum.She was admitted to the hospital the same day. An MRI suggested it was a hemangioblastoma, and further tests showed it was a highly vascular tumour, meaning it had a strong blood supply and carried a risk of serious bleeding during surgery. Barbara underwent angiography first, followed by surgery a few days later.In this episode, Barbara shares:Going from engagement and wedding planning to a brain tumour diagnosisReading the words “tumour in the left cerebellum” on her scan resultsBeing admitted to the hospital the same dayThe shock of learning she needed brain surgeryThe conversation with the doctor that made it all feel realHolding on to the feeling that “it’s not my time yet”Emergency surgery after an EVD was neededSpending nearly three weeks in the hospitalLearning to walk again after surgeryThe emotional difference between looking physically well and not feeling okay mentallyThe nightmares and fear that followed coming homeReturning to work after three monthsWhy support from psychologists matteredLearning that recovery is not a straight lineBarbara speaks honestly about the trauma, the fear, the relief of hearing it was benign, and the guilt she felt for not “allowing herself” to feel bad because it wasn’t cancer. Her story is a powerful reminder that even a benign brain tumour can change everything.⚠️ This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, surgery, emergency intervention, hospital trauma and mental health after treatment.

Anne Hubbard is 57 and lives with a Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) meningioma. Her first major symptom was hearing loss in her left ear, which led her to seek help — though for years she’d also experienced headaches, brain fog, and fatigue that she assumed were menopause-related.After seeing an audiologist who ruled out issues with her eardrum and cochlear nerve, Anne was referred through her GP to ENT. Following antibiotics, steroids, and imaging, Anne received the call many people fear: they’d found a mass on her brain — with reassurance that it “wasn’t cancerous.” Further investigations followed, including an MRI with contrast and a CT venogram (CTV).Anne describes how slow the process felt. From being told about a mass in January 2024, it took months to confirm it was a meningioma, and around 10 months before she finally saw a neurosurgeon and fully understood the tumour’s location and plan. That waiting period left Anne feeling stuck in “no man’s land,” constantly questioning every ache, headache, or sensation.Anne found vital support through Brainstrust. After reaching out, she received personalised guidance, practical resources (including questions to ask her neurosurgeon), and access to a monthly online group called “Meningioma Matters.” Anne describes it as a lifeline — a community where people at every stage (watch & wait, pre-surgery, post-craniotomy) can share experiences, tips, and reassurance.When Anne finally saw the neurosurgeon, she learned her tumour was large (around 3cm x 3cm) and located at the back of the brain in the CPA region. Anne explains that it wasn’t a neat round “ball”, but more spread out — “like a handkerchief” — and wrapped around critical areas, making full removal unlikely and surgery high risk. Anne wanted the tumour removed, but her neurosurgeon explained that operating now could leave her worse than she is today. One sentence stayed with her: “If something goes wrong, I want to be able to say we had to operate — not that we chose to.”Anne shares what living with watch & wait is like: learning to manage fear, scan anxiety, and symptoms without letting the tumour take over every thought. She also talks about workplace advocacy — being open about balance issues and fatigue — and the practical help of her NHS hearing aid, including how it reduced her tinnitus.Anne also mentions support from Headway, including carrying a brain injury card for times she feels overwhelmed (especially in noisy environments). She closes with deep gratitude for Brainstrust, the team at King’s College Hospital, and her support network at home and at work.⚠️ Content note: This episode includes discussion of brain tumour diagnosis, scan anxiety, hearing loss, and mental health.

Kathy shares her story of being diagnosed with a sphenoid wing meningioma in 2025 — a diagnosis that came after what felt like “just a few headaches” and migraine episodes.Kathy initially went to her doctor for migraine medication. When it didn’t help, she was referred for a CT scan. Six weeks later, she almost didn’t go — worried she was being “attention seeking” for a headache — but her boyfriend encouraged her to attend.After the scan, staff walked Kathy straight to the emergency room. She assumed she’d had a stroke, especially after Googling symptoms. About an hour later, a doctor told her they’d found a large mass in her head. They suspected a meningioma (often non-cancerous), but Kathy was told she needed to go immediately to another hospital in Calgary where a surgeon was waiting.Kathy describes the shock of being admitted and monitored for surgery she didn’t realise was imminent. Her neurosurgeon showed her the scan: a tumour measuring 6cm x 5cm x 5cm, causing an 8mm midline shift and significant pressure. He explained it had likely been growing slowly for around 10 years, allowing her brain to adapt — but due to its size and impact, it had to come out.Kathy was admitted on May 26, and after a short delay due to emergencies, she had surgery on June 2. The operation lasted 11 hours. She remembers waking frightened for the first time, disoriented by the tubes and monitors, and then the relief of seeing her mum waiting as she was brought back to her room.A huge part of Kathy’s focus was getting home to her six-year-old son, and protecting him from fear. She explains how she kept the language simple: “a ball in my head” that doctors would “cut out.” She also shares touching moments of her son calling her “baldy,” laughing with her, and reminding her not to lift more than 10 pounds.Kathy’s recovery went well overall. Her vision was temporarily affected but improved within around six weeks. She describes one lasting issue — burning when her eyes tear up — likely from nerve damage. An occupational therapist gave her “rules to live by,” encouraging brain-friendly activities like puzzles, cooking, and multitasking exercises while her brain adjusted to the extra space.Kathy now runs an Instagram page, @BrainTumor.Awareness, driven by what she wishes she’d known sooner — especially that new migraines, numbness, and speech changes can be red flags. She also speaks about how stress, anxiety, and ADHD can mask symptoms, and why she wants people to understand a vital message:Benign tumours can still be extremely dangerous — location and size matter.Kathy ends by thanking her neurosurgeon, her son (her guiding force), her boyfriend, and her parents, who kept her son’s life as normal as possible while she faced surgery.⚠️ Content note: This episode includes discussion of emergency admission, brain surgery, and recovery.

Sally shares her story of being diagnosed with a grade 2 oligodendroglioma after a seizure in September 2024.After a night out singing karaoke in London, Sally woke the next morning panicked and gasping — and the next thing she remembers is a paramedic telling her she’d had a seizure. In hospital, she was initially assessed for stroke and meningitis before a CT scan showed lesions, followed by an MRI. Her case was sent to an MDT at UCLH (University College London Hospital), where she was told it was a low-grade brain tumour and she’d be seen in London the following week.At UCLH, Sally learned the tumour was in the insular region, extending slightly into the frontal and temporal lobes. With ongoing focal seizures while medication settled, she chose the option that felt immediate and clear to her: surgery to remove as much as possible.Surgery was repeatedly delayed due to an intraoperative MRI theatre refurbishment, so Sally used private medical insurance to access the same surgical team at Cleveland Clinic London. She describes being taken into theatre awake, the moment she tried to say her family’s names as she went under, and waking up confused — then being assessed for movement on her left side. She also shares a tender (and slightly hilarious) moment: her husband was so relieved after the surgeon’s call that he squeezed Sally’s mum and broke her rib.A week later, histology confirmed what Sally and her daughter had been “manifesting”: oligodendroglioma, grade 2. Sally was referred to oncology to access vorasidenib via compassionate/special access, and she reflects on how treatment has allowed her to keep living the life she planned — even while navigating fatigue, recovery, and uncertainty.Sally also speaks openly about counselling support through The Brain Tumour Charity and Brain Tumour Support, fundraising (including wreath-making, bracelets, and a golf day that raised thousands), and the emotional complexity of living in the space between “all clear” and “terminal.”⚠️ Content note: This episode includes seizures, brain surgery, cancer diagnosis, and mental health discussion.

Sophie Reed lives in Jersey, Channel Islands. She was diagnosed with an astrocytoma (grade 3) after an unprovoked seizure at work in her hair salon.It started with a sudden “vacant” feeling — she knew something was happening, but couldn’t speak or explain it. Within a minute, she collapsed onto a client. Paramedics arrived and she was taken to hospital.After hours of waiting and only blood tests, she was discharged with a leaflet for a First Seizure (“First Fit”) Clinic.The next day, her GP pushed for an urgent CT scan — because fit, healthy 36-year-olds don’t usually have unprovoked seizures.When Sophie had her CT, radiology decided to use contrast. Shortly after, she got the call:“We found lesions on your brain. Come back in. You’re being admitted.”Sophie was told she had a large brain tumour. Then she heard words like “sinister” and “there’s not much we can do.” The following day she was told it might be metastatic cancer, and she underwent full-body scans while fearing she was dying.With Jersey having no specialist neuro services, Sophie sought a private consultation through her husband’s insurance and met Dr. Paul Grundy in Southampton, who believed it looked like a low-grade glioma. She chose surgery.In this episode, Sophie shares:her first seizure and losing speech mid-salonbeing discharged without brain imagingthe CT scan that changed everythingbeing told “sinister” and “not much we can do”fear of metastasis and full-body cancer investigationstravelling off-island for specialist careawake surgery (and why she’d do it awake again)the sound of her skull being cut — and triggers afterwards95% tumour resection and seizure freedom on Keppraradiotherapy (33 sessions) and chemotherapychoosing to pause chemo because side effects intensified each cyclewatch-and-wait and living with scan uncertaintydocumenting her journey on TikTok as @bobtheglobcastcampaigning and activism in Jerseywinning Pride of Jersey awards for advocacysetting up a charity to connect families with the right neurological supportthe financial strain of off-island treatment and why local fundraising should stay local⚠️ Content note: This episode includes seizures, brain cancer terminology, hospital communication trauma, awake neurosurgery, radiotherapy/chemotherapy, and ongoing uncertainty.