Lytham mum with brain tumour inspires fundraisers

Mum-of-two Natalie Hazeldine 29, of Brook Road, Lytham, was told by doctors before Christmas that she has a brain tumour.

It was a terrible setback for Natalie, whose children are both under two years old.

But she is being supported by her parents and her husband Tom, with whom she has son Barnie, aged 18 months, and Winnie, aged nine months old.

And brother Elliott Dalgleish, 27, is raising funds for a charity called Brain Tumour Research, which not only conducts research but also raises awareness of the disease and is striving to find a cure for the illness.

Elliott is organising a socially-distanced 10k run in Lytham on May 22 and has set up a JustGiving page which has so far raised £6,600.

Natalie said:”I was having these agonising headaches and went to the doctor. and said ‘please can you help me?’.

“I thought they were migraines.

“He arranged a CT scan and they found a seven centimetre-long tumour.

“It came as a massive shock and not what you want to hear when you’ve got two babies.

“If I was older it might not be so bad but I’ve just got to try and be positive - there is a chance it may not move for years.”

Natalie will be having more chemotherapy in the months ahead.

Elliott, of Ballam Road, who works as a plumber across the Fylde coast, said: “It was a big shock when the diagnosis came back and none of us were expecting it.

“Natalie had been tired during her pregnancy and suffered from headaches but we just thought it was because of the pregnancy.

“She’s been really brave during all this and still has to have more chemotherapy.

“So I just wanted to help the charity which helps people like my sister - if they can find a cure it would be fantastic.

“I just want to thank everyone who has been so generous with the donations.

“To have raised all this money so far has been amazing, it’s more than I expected.”

The justgiving page is at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/elliottdalgleish and anyone who wants to join the run can contact Elliott on Facebook.

Meanwhile, pal Tom Higham is also trying to raise money for the fundraising page.

Tom, 27, of Nelson Street, Lytham, has organised an online £5-a-go draw in which people can win a week’s stay in a cottage next to Lake Coniston in the Lake District, with funds raised going towards the fundraiser.

He said: “I just wanted to help in any way I could and a friend has kindly donated a week in her cottage as the prize

“Then money will be added to Elliott’s donation page and hopefully it will make a difference - and so far the response has been great.

“These kind of illnesses are horrible and I think people want to do their bit to make sure no one has to go through this in future.”

Tom himself has a form of Parkinsons Disease but said: “I just have a slight tremor and it hardly affects me.”

The draw comes to an end on Saturday at 4pm so time is running out.

The link to that fundraiser is at: https://projectwin.co.uk/product/a-luxury-winter-break-in-the-lake-district/