Julia Baker
RT romp'n'row
Fundraising for Yorkshire's Brain Tumour Charity
Story
- Originally diagnosed in 2016, the brain tumour behind my right eye has unfortunately refused to fizzle out by itself. Unless you develop symptoms, you don't always know you're affected by a brain tumour. I wasn't having any this year. Therefore it was something of a shock when my neurosurgeon said he would have to operate again.
- Surgery was initially postponed and then reinstated for 14 May. The tumour was pushing my right eye out of it's socket, and therefore a fix couldn't wait. I'd also 'grown' another two smaller tumours on the left side of my head which would require separate treatment.
- I had 'gamma knife' radiosurgery on the two 'twins' on 17 July. In September/October I'll have radiotherapy - 28 sessions of daily treatment, Monday-Friday, over nearly six weeks, including travel from Doncaster to Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield.
- Any kind of treatment can have an effect on a brain tumour patient - the stress, the travel, surgery, therapy, cancerous or not, brain tumours are never totally benign as their position in the head can affect the brain, eyes, nerves, sense of smell or taste etc.
- It's common for those going through treatment for any health condition to undertake a physical challenge, often adding to daily pressures, but in the meantime hopefully raising money for a friend or well-deserving charity which has helped them to go on and help others.
- It's been a difficult year, and the pandemic will continue for some time. 2020 has definitely not been the year to have brain surgery, radiotherapy, countless scans and visits to five different hospitals(!), not that having these in any year is that great. The added stress and uncertainty of the pandemic has weighed heavily on all our shoulders. As fundraising events have been cancelled in their thousands, Yorkshire's Brain Tumour Charity (YBTC) have suffered deep losses in fundraising, something that could take a long time to recover. Still they have not hesitated to work for and help those in need and they will continue to do so.
- Exercise is always a great distraction, along with music and a certain yellow Labrador for company. Therefore, I will be 'romping' and/or rowing nearly 100 miles (or 3.4 miles per day) over the duration of my radiotherapy. This is roughly the distance between my home, YBTC's charity shop in Leeds and Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield. Incase you were wondering, this is what having radiotherapy looks like: https://youtu.be/Pd8hmI94AY0
