Mum who was told to ‘go on holiday and relax’ died from devastating brain tumour

Julie says her mum Margaret Weir was initially told ‘to take aspirin’ and ‘go on holiday and relax’ when she visited a GP with initial health concerns.

But the family’s worst fears were confirmed when the 73-year-old was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) brain tumour while in Benidorm.

Despite having surgery and chemotherapy, she sadly died just 14 months after the tumour was discovered.

Julie said: “We couldn’t believe it when mum was diagnosed and we were distraught. It was awful to see how she deteriorated, to the point where there were no longer any treatment options.”

Scan while on holiday revealed brain tumour

In February 2006, Julie, her sister, Chris Potter, 61, and her dad, Frank, 91, thought Margaret may have had dementia.

Julie said: “Mum would go to the cash machine, get her bank card out, but then wouldn’t know what to do with it. She went to see her GP a couple of times but he wasn’t concerned. The first time, he just told her to take aspirin. “She saw him again before going on holiday to Benidorm, and he just told her to go on holiday and relax.

“When they arrived in Benidorm, mum wouldn’t leave dad’s side, and she didn’t know where or how to hang her clothes up. She went to a doctor and he sent her straight to hospital for an MRI scan which revealed she had a brain tumour.”

“I felt angry that Mum was initially just shrugged off"

Margaret had an operation but surgeons were unable to remove the whole tumour. Julie and Chris flew out to Benidorm to be by their mum’s bedside. After a week, they were allowed to fly Margaret back to the UK so she could begin a course of chemotherapy at Royal Preston Hospital.

In November 2006, a check-up MRI scan showed the tumour had grown. Margaret had more chemotherapy but, by April 2007, she had become unwell and she sadly died on May 27, 2007 with her loving family by her side.

Julie added: “I felt angry that Mum was initially just shrugged off by the GP who was unable to spot her symptoms. We all know about breast and prostate cancer, but not brain tumours. Research into this devastating disease is underfunded and I want to help raise awareness.”

Raising awareness

Now Julie, from Lytham St Annes, hopes to raise awareness and fund research to find a cure for brain tumours after losing her mum to the disease.

The 63-year-old is taking part in Wear A Hat Day for the charity Brain Tumour Research on Friday, March 31.

What is Wear A Hat Day?

Brain Tumour Research encourages people to don hats of all shapes and sizes on the last Friday in March as part of its flagship Wear a Hat Day fundraiser, which has raised more than £2 million to help fund vital research into brain tumours.

In March, Brain Tumour Research will launch a fourth Research Centre, bringing it one step closer to its mission of establishing a network of seven Centres of Excellence across the UK.

Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Julie for taking part in Wear A Hat Day as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Margaret who are forced to fight this awful disease.

“People can get involved in Wear A Hat Day in so many fun and easy ways, the list really is endless. Wear a hat and hold a walk, a party, a quiz night or a bake sale. Or get your thinking cap on and come up with something totally unique.”

How to get involved in fundraising

People are invited to pop a hat on, make a donation and take a selfie to share on social media using #WearAHatDay. To take part as a community, school or workplace visit www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/wear-a-hat-day.