A BRAIN tumour patient from Ilminster has visited a research centre where scientists are trying to find a cure for the disease she is living with.
Mum-of-three Katie Galan-Wilkinson, 37, was invited to attend the the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth on Wednesday, April 27 to place tiles on its Wall of Hope.
She was joined by her husband Daniel, a 38-year old GP, and her parents, Chris and Jane Wilkinson, who are from Chard.
They were selected among a group of the charity's supporters to visit the centre alongside supermodel and entrepreneur Caprice Bourret, who became a patron of Brain Tumour Research following her diagnosis with a meningioma in 2017.
They toured the laboratories led by principal investigator Professor Oliver Hanemann and spoke to scientists about their work to find a cure for the disease, before placing three tiles on the Wall of Hope.
Each tile placed on the wall represents the £2,740 it costs to fund a day of research and celebrates the fundraising achievements of the family or supporter involved.
Katie, who has three children: Sofia (seven), and Hugo (five), and Mario (two), gave a touching account of her diagnosis and treatment and the impact it has had on her family.
Katie said: “It was fascinating to visit the centre and meet researchers who are working tirelessly to try to find better treatment options and, ultimately, a cure for brain tumours.
“It’s really eye-opening to attend an event like this because when you talk to others affected by the disease, you begin to realise just how common it is.
“The reason why I take part in events for the charity is so that my children can be proud of me.
“I dedicated one of my tiles to Sofia, Hugo and Mario.
“It reads: ‘I live in hope to have a healthy future watching my amazing children grow up.
“‘Being your mummy is and always will be my greatest privilege. Our invisible string connects us always. I will love you forever’.”
Katie's brain tumour was diagnosed in 2019 during the late stages of her pregnancy with Mario.
Her symptoms included headaches and a pain at the top of her nose and between her eyes, but they were initially passed off as pregnancy-related.
When she was 39 weeks pregnant, she had a seizure and was taken to Musgrove Hospital in Taunton by ambulance, where doctors discovered a mass on her brain.
Katie said: “Things moved pretty quickly from there.
"The doctor said it looked aggressive. They wanted to act quickly and to induce my labour. It was horrific.
“I was in shock and felt as if I was being robbed of the birth experience that I wanted and had been able to have with our two other children.”
A month after Mario was born on June 5, 2019, Katie had a 10-hour surgery at Southmead Hospital in Bristol to remove the tumour.
The mass was later identified as a grade three anaplastic astrocytoma, which had grown to the size to two golf balls on the frontal lobe of her brain.
Katie went on to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and she continues to have regular scans to monitor her health.
Since receiving her devastating diagnosis, Katie has organised and taken part in several fundraising activities for Brain Tumour Research.
She has taken part in the charity's 10,000 steps a day in February challenge, organised a walk of hope, and held an event in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Earlier this year, she also encouraged members of her local community to take part in National Wear A Hat Day to raise money for the charity.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Katie and her family for their support and hope they inspire others to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research.
“Katie’s story reminds us that just 12.5 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50 per cent across all cancers.
“We cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Brain Tumour Research is determined to change outcomes for brain tumour patients and ultimately find a cure.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK.
It also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and find a cure for the disease.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer but historically, only one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to it.
To learn about sponsoring a day of research, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/sponsor-a-day.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here