A mum who constantly complained of headaches has been told she may have just months to live after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
Doctors initially thought Jennifer Roscoe was suffering from a sinus infection after she started suffering with bouts of vomiting and migraines in early 2019.
The mum-of-two, from St Helens, Merseyside, was put on beta blockers to stop the migraines but experienced symptoms so bad she could no longer work as a pharmacy technician, Liverpool Echo reports.
In June 2019 the left side of Jennifer's body went completely numb and she started vomiting and complained of blurred vision. Her husband, David, drove her to Whiston Hospital where she was told that she had a brain tumour following an MRI scan.
“When I was told, I actually felt relief because I knew I hadn’t been making it all up," Jennifer said. "I knew so little about brain tumours that it didn’t occur to me that I had cancer.
"David looked shell-shocked because his dad died from stomach cancer, and he saw the suffering he went through.”
Doctors removed the whole tumour a week later as Jennifer underwent surgery at The Walton Centre in Liverpool. But the family were told the heartbreaking news that her cancer was terminal.
The mum, who has two young daughters, Emmy and Aria, said: "[I] bounced back quite quickly and went home after a couple of nights in hospital. That was nicer for the children because they were scared when they saw me with two black eyes with wires attached to me.
“The histology report showed that my tumour was a GBM. I didn’t want to know my prognosis because I don’t believe figures like that. But I’ve since learned that the average life expectancy is around 16 months which isn’t good.”
In April this year an MRI scan revealed the tumour had grown back in three different areas of Jennifer’s brain
“It was a huge setback, and I was gutted. This brain tumour has robbed me of the hope of getting old," the devastated mum said.
"It’s crushing because there are so many things I want to witness in my girls’ lives, such as seeing them grow up, getting their first boyfriends, and having their own children.
“I was absolutely delighted when Emmy lost her first tooth on Christmas Day last year because I thought that was something I would miss. It was like a present for me.”
Jennifer, who is raising money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research by taking on the 100 Squats or Star Jumps a Day in November Challenge, went to Disney World Florida in July with David, Emmy and Aria as it was top of her bucket list of things to do before she dies.
“It was amazing, and the girls loved every minute. It was worth every penny, even though no-one would insure me because of my diagnosis," the mum said.
"We die once but we live every day, so make the most of the life you have.”
