A woman who was diagnosed with a brain tumour after failing to read a single letter during her eye exam is now raising awareness of her life-changing event. Gemma Hillier said her world was turned upside down when she was told the news, especially since her dad died from a brain tumour called a glioblastoma.
This is an aggressive type of tumour and understandably the news hit even harder because her dad, Rod, 73, died from it in July 2018. The Northampton teacher recalled going for a routine check-up in September 2023 at her local opticians – but things took a serious turn when she couldn’t read the letters, leading to a referral and further testing at an eye clinic.
A month later in November 2023, an MRI scan confirmed the presence of a brain tumour, setting the stage for surgery at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by February 2024. In good news, surgeons managed to remove 90% of the growth, putting Gemma on a path of regular scans to monitor any changes.
Gemma’s optician referred her to an eye clinic after further testing and in November 2023 Gemma had an MRI scan
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Image:
Gemma Hillier/ The Brain Tumour Charity© SWNS)
The 45-year-old said: “Brain tumours have rocked my world in the last six years. It is hard to believe that I am living with a brain tumour – they said that I could have been living with it for years.”
The eerie possibility that she might have had the tumour concurrently with her father troubled her. She said: “I could have had it when my dad had his.
“I am lucky in some aspects – I do have a brain tumour but I can live with it. It is crazy knowing that I am walking around with a brain tumour.”
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Gemma stressed that she didn’t have any signs or symptoms but it wasn’t until she sat down in the optician’s chair that she was concerned. “When I sat in the chair, I couldn’t read any of the letters which I found strange as I thought I had good vision.”
Gemma recalled “I then had further tests, including a visual field test which I failed. My optician got her colleague to look at my eye, and they referred me to an eye clinic.”
After many visits without clear answers, she chose to see a private ophthalmologist, resulting in an immediate MRI scan. In November, the MRI revealed a brain tumour necessitating prompt removal.
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She said: “No one seemed to be in a rush to fix me or find out what was wrong so eventually I went to a private ophthalmologist who after only five minutes into the appointment noticed something wasn’t right and sent me for an MRI. Four days after the MRI, I had the phone call to say they had found a brain tumour.”
She started to develop headaches that were getting worse. Gemma said: “In some ways, I felt relief – I kept thinking I was imagining the symptoms I was having.
“I was told surgery was really my only option to save the sight in my right eye as the tumour was growing.” The post-Christmas procedure in February 2024 was by no means easy, but her determination and recovery post-surgery were remarkable.
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“Christmas came and went and then in February 2024 I had my resection of my tumour. I spent time in the ICU, the same one that my dad had been in six years ago, and then had many months off work to recover from the surgery and get myself fit and healthy again.”
After her surgery, Gemma learned she had a grade 2 meningioma and now undergoes regular scans to keep an eye on its growth. She shared: “My tumour is grade 2 and so I’m currently having regular scans to check its growth.
“I’ve been told by my surgeon that if it does grow, I’ll need radiotherapy. The past year has been tough both physically and mentally.
“But I know I’m one of the lucky ones. It could have been so much worse – just like it was for my dad.”
Gemma Hillier and her surgery scar
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Image:
Gemma Hillier/ The Brain Tumour Charity© SWNS)
Catherine Fraher, Director of Services and Digital Health at The Brain Tumour Charity, expressed gratitude towards those who share their stories, saying: “We’re really grateful to everyone who shares their – often heartbreaking – story to raise awareness of brain tumours.
“We know that every family deals with a brain tumour diagnosis and its aftermath in their own unique way. That’s why The Brain Tumour Charity offers support to anyone who needs it. It’s so important for them to know that they are not alone.”
What are the signs of symptoms of a brain tumour?
The NHS warn: “Sometimes you may not have any symptoms to begin with, or they may develop very slowly over time.”
Symptoms can include:
- headaches
- seizures (fits)
- persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness
- mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality
- progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- vision or speech problems
For more information about the support available, she directs people to contact their specialist teams through the Support and Information Line at 0808 800 0004 or visit the website here.