A mother of three whose deadly brain cancer was missed by NHS doctors revealed that she has only had to live for a year, after struggling with bizarre symptoms that she assumed was proof of a mini stroke.
Fiona Charles, 61, was stunned when she started experiencing ‘random and strange episodes’ last summer, with Phantom smelling like burning food that filled her nose.
This was usually linked to a sudden stream of overheating and racing heartbeat.
The retired teacher in primary education, from Aberdeen, was mainly concerned about the heart palpitations, assuming that they were the sign of a mini stroke “that would lead to a big one.”
But when Mrs. Charles visited her doctor for help, she was told not to worry – her symptoms were ‘unlikely’ to be something sinister.
But left ‘dissatisfied’, the family insisted on further research and arranged a private MRI scan of her brain in October 2024.
The test revealed the devastating truth: Mrs. Charles had a glioblastoma – one of the deadliest type of cancer that kills 95 percent of patients within five years.
According to the Brain Tumor Charity, only a quarter of the patients will survive more than a year.
The NHS doctor of Fiona Charles could not see that her strange symptoms had a sinister cause -but luckily she was looking for a second opinion with a private expert.
Mrs Charles received a prognosis of between one year and 18 months, despite a treatment route recommended by doctors.
Speaking about the heartbreaking diagnosis that her son Jonny said: ‘I will never forget when she called us to come by so that she could give the news personally.
‘We sat down in the living room and she told us she had cancer.
‘We all tried to get into the pure and think about what the future could look like.
“But it struck me that there were things she might never see. Weddings, grandchildren, all moments that you naturally consider. ‘
Since her diagnosis, Mrs. Charles has completed radiotherapy and currently has five of six chemotherapy sessions.
The treatment is almost hoped, but has been given a number of serious side effects, including serious fatigue, weight loss and reduced appetite.
Determined to keep her mind up, Charles has slowly returned to activities that she loves, such as baking and cooking.
Mrs. Charles’ son Jonny will run the Edinbrug Half Marathon to increase the consciousness of the signs of the disease that will shorten his mother’s life.
Prior to her diagnosis, Mrs. Charles was an active woman, enjoying golf and long dog walks.
To raise money for brain tumor investigation, Jonny will Edinburgh Half Marathon This Sunday.
He will run 13.1 miles and is determined to ensure that more people understand how overlooks are still being brain tumors.
‘This is not about ending with a fast time. I do it to raise money to increase consciousness, “he said.
‘Only one percent of national spending on cancer research goes to brain tumors, although they are one of the most aggressive and devastating forms of cancer.
“That feels completely out of pass with the impact they have on families like mine.”
About 2500 British and 12,000 Americans are diagnosed with a glioblastoma every year.
Headache, epileptic seizures, nausea, sleepiness, vision problems and personality changes are important symptoms.
These are caused by the tumor increasing the pressure in the skull as it grows.
The wanted singer Tom Parker was killed by a glioblastoma in 2022, only 33 years old. He left two young children (Aurelia, then two and Bodhi, then one) and Woman Kelsey
Depending on where growth in the brain is, however, patients may experience fewer common symptoms, such as changes in smell and taste and problems with speech.
Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are go-to treatments, but in the vast majority of cases this only works to keep the cancer at a distance for a short period.
The deadly disease claimed the life of the softened singer Tom Parker in 2022. He was only 33 years old.
The star was diagnosed with phase 4 Glioblastoma in October 2020 and only received 12 months to live by doctors.
In September 2021, 11 months after the diagnosis, the father of two sang in the Stand-up 2 cancer show in the Royal Albert Hall and even started a biggest Hits tour with his band members when the tumor was confirmed as ‘stable’ in November.
But a good family friend today revealed that his condition quickly deteriorated after the Tour ended in early 2022.
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