A young mum fighting a brain tumour has opened up about her heartbreaking diagnosis as she races against time to create memories with her daughter.
Last July Reagan Kirkpatrick's life was upturned when the 22-year-old was diagnosed with a Grade-4 diffuse midline glioma brain tumour.
She was given the devastating news that the tumour was incurable.
The brave woman from Annitsford, North Tyneside recalled how she had spent weeks suffering from extreme headaches before being diagnosed, Chronicle Live reports.
She said: "It all started in June when I began to get headaches and was really tired all of the time.
"I went to the doctors and they said it was due to stress and gave me some tablets to help with them."
However, as time progressed, Reagan's headaches worsened and she could not work.
Blood tests did not reveal the cause of the problem, and she decided to book an appointment with Specsavers.
"The optician did some tests and found that there was something behind my eye and gave me a letter, which she said I needed to take to the doctors [straight away]," she said.
"The next day, I was still getting really bad headaches so I went to Cramlington Hospital and that's when they did an MRI scan and told me I had a tumour."
Just days later, Reagan under went an operation Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary to relieve some of the pressure that was causing the headaches.
The brave mum has since undergone six weeks of radiotherapy at the Freeman Hospital and is now on her fourth round of chemotherapy.
She has been told that the tumour is shrinking but tragically it remains incurable with no way of knowing how long she has left with her daughter, Amara Bell, two.
"Doctors can't tell me how long I had the tumour before it was diagnosed or if it could have been prevented," Reagan said.
"I am just taking each day as it comes [but] it is so hard.
"I don't go out that much because it is taking its toll on me now and I can hardly go up the stairs. My balance is really bad and I need a wheelchair if I go to the shop."
Reagan is now on a mission to make as many memories as she can with her beautiful little girl and is hoping to take her to Disneyland Paris in 2023.
Reagan's colleagues at Domestic and General, where she worked as customer sales advisor, have launched a fundraising campaign called ‘Raise 4 Reagan' to help pay for her final wishes.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up by work friend Liam Vinsome as part of the campaign and has so far raised more than £3,000.
Reagan said: "I want to take my daughter to Flamingo Land and, hopefully, to Disneyland Paris. I am so thankful to Liam and my work colleagues who have set up the fundraiser."
And the couragous mum had an important message for anyone struggling to get a diagnosis.
She said: "If you think something is wrong, definitely get a second opinion."
To donate to the appeal visit: https://gofund.me/0d75630a
