A BRECON teenager who is living with an incurable brain tumour says she is “taking each day as it comes” after defying ill-health to embark on a high-flying university course.
Lily Biggs, 19, was diagnosed with the tumour five years ago in March 2014 after months of symptoms including dizziness and blackouts.
She had an operation immediately to relieve a build-up of pressure on her brain, followed by another three years later in March 2017 to remove a cyst which had developed on the tumour.
But the tumour itself cannot be taken out because of its position deep in her brain.
Lily, from Velindre near Brecon, is now in her second year studying aerospace engineering at Leeds University and hopes to become a teacher.
She gained an incredible four A*s at A level in 2017 just months after she underwent the second of her brain operations.
Lily is sharing her story in support of The Brain Tumour Charity during Brain Tumour Awareness Month, which runs throughout March.
The former Gwernyfed High School pupil said: “When I was finally diagnosed, it seemed quite sudden – but looking back, I think I’d had symptoms for a long time.”
Lily’s dizziness and blackouts began in 2013 and were initially put down to hormonal changes during puberty – but when medication prescribed by a GP failed to help, her mum Wendy and dad Nic insisted she should see a specialist.
It was a paediatrician at Hereford Hospital who eventually referred Lily for an MRI scan ‘just in case’ – and within a very short time the family’s lives were turned upside down.
“After the first scan I was called back for a second one, because of a small area they couldn’t see,” Lily said.
“After the second scan I was very quickly given blood tests, admitted to hospital and then told I had a brain tumour.”
Lily and her parents refused the offer of an ambulance to take her straight to hospital, choosing instead to go back home for a few precious hours together before they drove themselves overnight to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
“When someone tells you you have a brain tumour, it feels like a death sentence,” Lily said.
“We wanted to have a bit of time together as we didn’t know what the future might bring.
“So we went home for what we thought might be a ‘last supper’. We had mushroom pasta, which was something I loved – but I haven’t been able to eat it since that night!”
When they arrived in Birmingham early the next day, doctors told Lily the build-up of fluid in her brain was so severe it would have caused her to go blind within another two weeks if left untreated.
Following a procedure to relieve the pressure, Lily was sent home within a week and told she would need no further treatment. But three years later, one of her regular scans revealed a fast-growing cyst on her brain tumour, requiring further complex surgery.
After she left hospital in March 2017, Lily threw herself immediately into ‘A’ level revision – and in August of that year was rewarded with A* grades in Physics, Maths, English and the Welsh Baccalaureate.
Lily said she wanted to share her story to give hope to others in a similar situation.
“At first it can feel as if things will never get better. I found adapting to independent life exhausting but I now love it and have settled right in.
“I’m already looking to the future and careers, although of course we don’t know if and when I’ll need more treatment.
“There may be another build-up of fluid in my brain, the cyst may grow or the tumour could become more aggressive.
“But I’m taking each day as it comes and I’m so grateful to the amazing paediatrician who listened to my concerns and took me seriously. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”
Sarah Lindsell, chief executive of The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “We are immensely grateful to Lily for sharing her experience to help raise awareness of brain tumours and their symptoms.
“Her achievements in the face of her diagnosis are remarkable and we wish her the very best as she continues with her studies and her career.”
For more about brain tumours visit thebraintumourcharity.org