WARNING, UPSETTING CONTENT
Tina Smith with her daughter Connie Campbell(Image: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
An 11 year old girl was diagnosed with a brain tumour after experiencing a rollercoaster ride at Thorpe Park, which her mum claims may have “dislodged” the growth. Following a fun day out at the Surrey amusement park, Connie Campbell fell sick, starting to suffer from headaches and vomiting within two days of the visit.
Tina Smith, Connie’s 54 year old mother, suspects that the vigorous motions of the rollercoaster ride could have shifted the tumour in her daughter’s brain, leading to an onset of illness. This incident inadvertently led to the timely discovery of the grade-four cancerous tumour just before it had the chance to advance to her spine.
After being diagnosed, Connie faced a tough battle, undergoing brain surgery and then enduring rounds of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This challenging period meant she missed out on a year of her education.
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Today, Tina, who is a personal assistant residing in Woodford, London, is preparing to take on the monumental challenge of running a marathon to support Brain Tumour Research. Speaking about the traumatic experience, Tina revealed: “There’s a difference between getting thrown around a bit for fun and having your head ricochet so hard you don’t feel right after,” reports the Mirror.
Recounting their subsequent visits to the park, she noted: “Connie and I didn’t go on those rides again, but her dad and brother did. It was two days later that she started being sick, which seems too much of a coincidence for the two things not to be related. I suspect the rides dislodged her tumour and, if that’s the case, I’m glad because I was told we found it at a good time, before it spread to her spine.”
During the August Bank Holiday in 2022, Connie and her family enjoyed a day out at the theme park. Just a couple of months later, in October, Connie underwent brain surgery. Now in year nine, she’s been bravely dealing with developmental challenges as a result of her condition and its treatment.
Her mum Tina, who had to delay her London Marathon 2024 run due to a knee injury, is now gearing up for the challenge, set to take place on Sunday, April 27. She shared: “My family can’t quite believe that I’m going to be running a marathon, they are very proud. I’d never considered doing one until recent years when I watched runners in London and with Connie’s diagnosis, the time feels right.”
Tina won’t be facing the 26.2-mile course alone; her mate Lucy Bradley, 48, from Woodford, will be by her side. The pair have already drummed up over £2,000 in support of Brain Tumour Research. Tina went on to say: “There’s so much that’s unknown about brain tumours and treatment is often invasive and harsh for patients, especially children.
“To answer the questions we have, such as what caused the brain tumour, how do we stop the cancer, and what other treatments are there, I’m going to run the London Marathon to raise awareness and much-needed funds to find these answers.”
Carol Robertson, the national events manager for Brain Tumour Research, spoke out about the heart-wrenching case: “It’s desperately sad to hear about Connie’s diagnosis. In the UK, 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour and just under 13% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54% across all cancers.”
“We’re determined to change that but it’s only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, a cure. We’re really grateful for Tina and Lucy’s support and will be there to cheer her across the finish line in April.”