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Tracey Cooper supports Neurocare

£1,000 donation from brain tumour mum

£1,000 donation from brain tumour mum

A new mum who survived terrifying treatment for a brain tumour whilst pregnant has donated £1,000 to a major Sheffield hospital appeal to thank the doctors who helped save her life.

Tracy Cooper, aged 40, from Preston, was just three days away from giving birth when doctors found a tumour in the base of her brain.

She was referred to undergo life-saving radio surgery at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital, one of the UK’s leading Neurosurgery departments, because of the extreme nature of her condition.

Tracy said: “I was 32 weeks pregnant when I first started to suffer double vision and headaches. It was really scary, not least because I was worried about the effect it might be having on my baby. So I underwent tests at the Royal Preston Hospital where they suspected I had Myasthenia Gravis, which is a very rare disease resulting in muscle weakness.

“Once this was I was admitted to the Neurology ward the same day. At 36 weeks pregnant this was not what you want to hear, without a doubt I was scared now, and what’s more there were risks for my baby.”

But three days before Tracy was due to give birth it became apparent that her condition was even more life-threatening.

Added Tracy: “A week after the initial tests I went for an MRI scan and that’s when they found the brain tumour- days before I was due to give birth. Unfortunately it was in the worst place possible for surgery. There are no words to describe what I felt at that moment in time.

“Fortunately the tumour, about the size of a pea, was benign. But it was also in one of the most difficult areas to treat, right at the base of my brain. Having spoken to the doctors and surgeons in Sheffield they left me with three options, all of which seemed equally terrifying.

“Either I could do nothing, in which case my prognosis was very likely to be fatal. Or the surgeons could operate, which was potentially very dangerous and could have left me brain damaged because of where the tumour was in my brain.

“So I was left with undergoing gamma knife radio surgery, which involves inserting a metal plate into my skull and firing gamma rays at the tumour to prevent its growth.
So far treatment has been a complete success and although there are some side effects and I still suffer from double vision, the tumour has stopped growing.

“I gave birth soon after to a beautiful baby girl Isabelle Grace as planned and I am delighted to say we are both doing very well indeed.”

Tracy was so grateful for the treatment she received in Sheffield, she organised a special fundraising event in her local village as part of her birthday celebrations.

The event was held in aid Neurocare, which raises money for the Neurosciences department at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

Tracy said: “I took over the village pub and organised a big party in celebration of my birthday, my beautiful new born baby and the wonderful work of the doctors and nurses in Sheffield who helped save my life.

“We held a raffle and had live entertainment for more than 60 people. The money we raised on the night was matched by more than £400 from my husband’s company, Hitachi.

“We’re a really tight-knit community so it was great to see so many people come along to show their support for Neurocare.”