A fit and healthy 43-year-old mum of two says her life changed forever when she felt what she thought was a cramp in her leg while driving. Louise Chambers says her foot like it was 'heavy on the clutch' as she was driving during a family holiday.
The cramp became so painful Louise ended the holiday a day early and went to see her doctor, who assumed she had suffered a mini-stroke. Louise was taken to hospital and had an MRI scan - which revealed the truth.
Louise told LancsLive: "It wasn't a mini stroke, I had a brain tumour. They said it was one of the worst types you can have as it's terminal and they said I had up to 12 months.
"That was it. They said there was nothing really that can be done for it.
"It was a bit surreal, I didn't really believe it. I still don't, I don't think. I still don't really believe. The only time I really got upset was telling my boys and telling my mum and my best friend.
"They were the people that when I was talking to them, it made me upset. Whereas with everyone else, I was telling them a bit more matter of fact, if you will."
Louise was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma in March. Doctors said they couldn't remove the tumour because of its location. Louise added: "It's on my spinal cord so they said it's not safe to operate, if they were to operate I would end up in a wheelchair and I wouldn't know where I was or who anybody else was.
"I wouldn't be able to feed myself or use the toilet, I'd lose all of those faculties."
Doctors gave Louise six weeks of radiotherapy and six weeks of chemotherapy.
"I've not been sick or anything, I've not had any real side effects," Louise said. "I've lost a little bit of hair but nothing dramatic.
"But now they've stopped the radiotherapy and the chemotherapy until July." Now, Louise is off work and being given statutory sick pay whilst she is making the most of family time and putting together as much money as she can for her future and for her family.
To raise funds, Louise's friends have raised nearly £2,000 so far.
You can donate to help support Louise and her family by visiting her Go Fund Me page.
