A Consett mum who discovered she had a brain tumour while on a trip to Turkey has shared her devastation at finding out she has stage 4 cancer.
Lisa Robinson said she felt "lucky to be alive" after being diagnosed with a brain tumour when she became suddenly unwell in Antalya last month. The 44-year-old underwent emergency surgery at Anadolu Hastanesi Hospital on June 24, where doctors told her family she had just a 25% chance of surviving.
Against all odds, the courageous mum-of-two amazed medics when she pulled through. However, the family faced a second fight after Lisa's insurance company, AXA Partners, refused to cover the costs of her medical bills and flight home to Newcastle.
READ MORE: Consett mum finally arrives home from Turkey after life-saving brain tumour surgery
The company said it would not pay out on the grounds that Lisa was aware she had a pre-existing medical condition, which she denies. AXA Partners said Lisa had sought medical assistance for severe headaches prior to travelling and had also been prescribed medication.
In an effort to get Lisa home, her family launched a Just Giving Page and just eight days managed to raise more than £17,000 towards the costs of her flight and treatment.
Thanks to the generous donations, Lisa arrived in Newcastle on Wednesday and was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI). But jubilation turned to devastation after doctors broke the news she has stage 4 cancer.
Sister Sharon Morris, who flew to Turkey to be by Lisa's bedside, said: "Lisa has now found out the tumour was stage 4 cancer and is in the RVI. She’s waiting on a date to start her treatment which will be at the Freeman Hospital."
In a series of heartfelt videos and posts to her Facebook friends, mental health nurse Lisa, said she was determined to fight the cancer. She said: "I have been told I have stage 4 cancer."
"It is aggressive and an MRI scan has highlighted that it is in different places. However, there is a treatment plan, which would either be chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which I am delighted at.
"When I got that news I thought, 'I am literally going to die.' So knowing that there are options is good. Thank you to everyone for all the support. It means a lot."
Lisa's family are now planning a number of fundraising events to continue to pay for Lisa's treatment in Turkey. A family fun day featuring karaoke, DJs and a bouncy castle, will be held at The Royal Oak in Medomsley on July 30 from 3pm to 10pm.
A sponsored fancy dress walk is also taking place at 11am on July 23 from the Consett Weatherspoons to Durham.
Sister Sharon continued: "I would like to say thank you to everyone for standing by Lisa and being there for her in her time of need. She needs all the support she can right now to carry her through this difficult time."
To donate visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sharon-morris-2?utm_term=Z8EGQDeP8
READ NEXT:
