A brain cancer patient from Devon who was told by doctors that she “shouldn’t be here” after developing sepsis on the brain has undertaken a fundraising challenge to fight the disease.
Mother of five Alison Strong, 50, from Drewsteignton, was first diagnosed with a low-grade meningioma in 2019 after suffering a stroke at home. Alison made a full recovery from the stroke, however, just days before Christmas in 2023, a scan revealed her tumour had turned cancerous.
“It felt like my whole world had fallen apart,” said Alison.
“I cried for weeks, but I knew I couldn’t waste time feeling sorry for myself. I have to be strong for my children and keep on fighting.“
Alison is now undergoing targeted stereoscopic radiotherapy to treat the tumour. The 12- month long treatment programme will finish in March next year. Should the radiotherapy fail to sufficiently halt the tumour’s growth, a major operation will be required to attempt to remove it.
“Due to its location in my brain, surgeons have said it will be extremely difficult to remove,” said Alison.
“I’m scared to death at the thought of someone cutting my head open, but I’ve got to be positive. You think about it every day, but you’ve got to keep going and remain hopeful. If you give up your body will too.”
When Alison was rushed to hospital in an ambulance in August 2024 after having stomach pain and cold sweats, she believed it might have been a response to the treatment she was undergoing. The truth turned out to be far more sinister. Alison suffered a seizure whilst waiting in A&E and it was discovered that she had developed sepsis on the brain as well as encephalitis which causes swelling on the brain.
“They put me in intensive care on a ventilator. My husband Andrew was told that they didn’t expect me to last two days. Somehow, I got through it, and I woke up six days later,” said Alison.
“Doctors told me I shouldn’t be alive.”
As Alison recovers, she has pledged her support to Brain Tumour Research, and is taking part in the charity’s 99 Miles in November challenge. The 3.3 miles (or 8,250 steps) per day can be done by walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming or any other way.
“Even if I’m not here, if the money raised through this challenge can help someone in the future I will have done well. Nobody should go through this. Living with a brain tumour is petrifying. You can be walking around not knowing you’ve got it. So much more needs to be done to defeat this terrible disease,” said Alison.
Louise Aubrey, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Alison’s determination in the face of this disease is a true inspiration. Despite all she has been through, she is still fighting. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in the number of brain tumour diagnoses by 11% in the last decade. Despite this worrying trend, only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
You can support Alison’s fundraiser by visiting: www.facebook.com/donate/1053945793132987
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