A mum who believed she had an ear infection was shocked when she was told it was actually a brain tumour.
Sue Hitchmough, 48, went to the doctors after suffering from minor hearing loss in her right ear accompanied by dizziness. However, after taking a course of tablets she didn't get any better and even began experiencing difficulty with swallowing.
Despite her condition worsening, Sue attributed it to "overdoing it at the gym". But, she was eventually diagnosed with a low-grade acoustic neuroma - a type of brain tumour - in September 2021.
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In February 2022, Sue underwent her first operation to remove the 3.5cm tumour in and now needs a lifelong shunt in her brain to drain the fluid caused by the tumour. She is completely deaf in one year and has even lost the ability to cry in her right eye.
Sue, a managing director, from Burleson, Hampshire, said: “I used to wake up during the night with the sensation of a tablet stuck in my throat. I found myself making excuses for everything my body was feeling.
"I’d think that perhaps I was overdoing it at the gym and not eating enough. My life changed as soon as I heard the words ‘brain tumour’."
Sue was shocked when she was diagnosed with the brain tumour after putting her symptoms down to her busy lifestyle through the pandemic. She has since had three surgeries and lives with a permanent shunt in her head.
Sue said: "I lost my aunt to the disease when I was a young teenager, she was 40. I wondered if it could be hereditary, and if so, were my children at risk? When I asked, the consultant advised they didn’t know what caused them. It was just ‘one of those things.
“I did my own research into brain tumours and was alarmed with how little is known about the disease.”
Sue now wants to help other people suffering from the same type of brain tumour and has set up an Instagram account where she regularly posts information about all her surgeries and her condition. She has also volunteered to do a charity firewall for Brain Tumour Research.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re grateful to Sue for sharing her story with us. It reminds us that brain tumours are indiscriminate - they can affect anyone at any age. We have firewalks taking place all over the country and are delighted to bring this event to people who want to join the #FightingForce to help find a cure for this disease.
“We wish Sue and all the participants the best of luck in what promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
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