Mum of four diagnosed with brain tumour shortly after giving birth

During the final months of her pregnancy in 2018, the 29-year-old began to suffer from severe vertigo, weakness in her right hand, slurred speech and debilitating headaches.

Despite being previosuly diagnosed with a tumour during her childhood, Hannah’s symptoms were dismissed as anaemia and ear problems.

When her symptoms worsensed in October 2018, Hannah fainted and went into labour, and she had to be taken into hospital by ambulance.

A CT scan revealed that Hannah had a brain tumour called a pilocytic astrocytoma, the same kind of tumour she had when she was three.

She underwent removal surgery and began her lengthy post-op journey.

“A part of me is grateful that I was pregnant at the time. I had been to the doctors a few times with symptoms but just kept going round in circles.

“If I hadn’t fainted and gone into labour, the tumour might not have been detected and killed me,” said Hannah.

Doctors believe that her tumour may have developed quicker due to her having her four pregnancies in quick succession.

Hannah is mum to baby Pippa, six-year-old Esme, five-year-old Rory and three-year-old Phoebe.

“For a while after my operation I wasn’t able to hold or feed my gorgeous new baby, which was devastating.

“I didn’t tell my children what was going on, I just told them that mummy had a sore head that the doctors needed to fix.”

Hannah was also diagnosed with endometriosis and suffers from PTSD, balance problems and sensory overload. She has regular MRI scans to check for any signs of tumour regrowth.

“When I came back home, I had to sleep with the lights on, and I kept hearing the hospital beeps and noises in my mind.

“It was a really traumatic and scary time, but if I didn’t have the operation I would have died.

“I will always remember that this time last year, my life was saved and I am forever thankful for being given another chance to be here for my family.”