A BRAIN tumour fighter who discovered she had the disease when pregnant is backing a petition calling for more research, as treatment remains unchanged from 40 years ago.
Laura Mahon, 30, from Lea Green, was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumour in September 2021 when she was 27 weeks pregnant.
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Doctors originally believed the baby was pressing on a nerve, but she was sent to The Walton Centre for an MRI scan; which led to the discovery of the tumour.
She and her husband Danny, 29, made the toughest decision of their lives; and opted to bring their daughter into the world at 30 weeks.
On November 30, 2021, Sienna Grace Laura Mahon was born, weighing just 3.4lbs, at Warrington Hospital.
She was taken to the neonatal ward and placed in an incubator.
Sienna developed pneumothorax - a collapsed lung; so was transferred to Royal Oldham Hospital to receive specialised care.
Sienna is now doing great and at home with her devoted parents, and Laura is undergoing any treatment possible to try and give her the best chance of fighting the inoperable tumour.
Speaking to the Star, Laura, who is currently on her 13 course of chemotherapy, hopes that others will sign a petition calling for more research into the disease.
She said: “Since February it’s been up and down, I had a seizre because of my chemotherapy stopped working and was hospitalised for 10 days due to tumour symptoms and getting Covid.
“Despite the fact that brain tumours are the most common cancer causing the death of people under 40, treatment hasn’t moved on from what was available 40 years ago.
“There are currently four types of chemotherapy available on the NHS to treat brain tumours, once you’ve been through them you are forced to go private and seek alternatives, I’m on chemo type number three.
“I was 29 when I was diagnosed, I’ve been healthy and kept fit and was pregnant, children get brain tumours, it does not care who is effects and can target anyone.
“More needs to be done to save lives, which is why this petition is so important, because for this to be debated in parliament could lead to a change.”
Laura’s tumour has been classed as inoperable, and she says the toll her diagnosis has not only been on her but her daughter, husband and family.
She added: “I might have the tumour but everyone who loves and cares for me is suffering too, they see me on the bad days and we know things aren’t where they could be research wise.
“Cancer needs research, all cancers, all tumours. Brain tumour research is so behind that it really needs backing now.”
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Brain Tumour Research is calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kick-start an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028.
The charity, Brain Tumour Research, wants the Government to recognise brain tumour research as a critical priority. It says the increase in research investment would put brain tumours in line with the spend on cancers of breast, bowel and lung, as well as leukaemia.
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “For too long governments have put brain tumours on the ‘too difficult to think about’ pile.
“Five years after the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research, just £15 million has been spent.
“Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose.
“If everyone can spare just a few minutes to sign and share, we will soon hit the 100,000 signatures we need and help find a cure, bringing hope to families whose loved ones have been affected by brain tumours.”
To sign and share the petition before it closes at the end of October 2023, go to braintumourresearch.org/petition
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