Advertise on podcast: Aunty M Brain Tumours Talk Show

This is the final episode of Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. After 30 days of real people sharing their lived experience of brain tumours, this final conversation asks an urgent question: How do we diagnose brain tumours earlier? In this special closing episode, Claire speaks with Dr Victoria McBride, a GP who has become a passionate advocate for brain tumour awareness after her own family’s experience. In 2021, Dr McBride’s nephew Scott was diagnosed with a glioblastoma after repeatedly attending his GP with symptoms that were not recognised as warning signs. By the time he was admitted to hospital, he was critically unwell. This conversation explores:• Why brain tumour symptoms are so often missed• The danger of repeated reassurance without proper follow-up• How “headache plus” symptoms can be a warning sign• Why evolving neurological symptoms must not be ignored• The importance of pattern recognition in primary care• The barriers GPs face, including time pressure and lack of continuity• Why earlier diagnosis may not always change prognosis — but can change outcomes• How earlier detection can reduce disability, trauma and crisis admissions• The new toolkit is being developed with The Brain Tumour Charity and the Royal College of GPs to support earlier diagnosis This episode is deeply personal, but it is also practical, hopeful and forward-looking. It brings together everything this month has shown us:the missed signs, the delayed diagnoses, the lives changed forever — and the urgent need for better awareness. After 31 stories, one truth is clear: People know when something is wrong.Patients need to be heard.And earlier diagnosis matters. Thank you for listening, sharing, and helping amplify these stories throughout Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses delayed diagnosis, glioblastoma, medical trauma, and the impact of missed brain tumour symptoms.

Jaime was diagnosed with an IDH-mutant astrocytoma — but not in the way anyone would expect. After surviving a traumatic brain injury years earlier, Jaime went through scans and rehabilitation to relearn how to walk, talk and function again. It was only much later, after noticing worsening tremors following the birth of her third baby, that more tests revealed something nobody had ever told her before: There had been a small mass on her brain all along. In this honest and uplifting interview, Jaime shares:• Finding out about her brain tumour completely by accident• The shock of learning something had been seen on earlier scans• Living through watch and wait• Why she pushed for second and third opinions• Choosing laser ablation surgery• Being diagnosed with a grade 2 astrocytoma• Starting Vorasidenib for her IDH-mutant tumour• Seeing her tumour begin to shrink• Living with uncertainty while raising three children• Staying present and finding joy in everyday life Jaime speaks powerfully about advocacy, openness, and making the most of life even when the future feels uncertain. Her message is clear: Stand up for yourself. Ask questions. Stay present. Book the trip. Get the tattoo. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, prior traumatic brain injury, surgery, scan monitoring, and long-term uncertainty.

Elisabeth was 35 when a sharp pain in her head woke her in the night. What followed was a terrifying chain of events: repeated trips to hospital, being told it was unlikely to be serious, worsening headaches, vomiting, collapse in A&E, and eventually an MRI that revealed a mass on her brain. She was alone when she was told. It later emerged that for eight days, Elisabeth had been living through a brain haemorrhage. In this powerful and deeply honest interview, Elisabeth shares her journey with glioblastoma — from diagnosis during COVID, to multiple craniotomies, paralysis down her left side, learning to walk again, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, recurrence, and the reality of living far beyond what many people expect from this diagnosis. Elisabeth speaks openly about:• Being diagnosed alone during the pandemic• Her mum fighting to get her transferred to specialist care• The failed biopsy that led to life-saving surgery• Learning to walk again after being left paralysed on one side• Multiple surgeries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy• The exhaustion of treatment while raising two young children• Finding humour in the darkest moments — including “Cancer Carpool Karaoke”• Why she calls the things she looks forward to her “glimmers”• Support from St Christopher’s Hospice and why hospice care needs reframing• Fundraising through music and bringing people together• Choosing to live fully, even in the face of uncertainty Elisabeth’s story is raw, funny, heartbreaking and full of fight. Her message is clear:Speak up. Ask questions. Keep going. Where there’s life, there’s hope. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses glioblastoma, brain haemorrhage, repeated surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, disability, hospice care, and living with a life-limiting diagnosis.

Austen was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) in February 2025. After years of worsening balance and hearing issues, he was repeatedly told nothing was wrong — until an MRI revealed multiple tumours. At first, he was told there were four. Then eight. Then seven in his spine. A total of 15 tumours. In this honest and down-to-earth interview, Austen shares:• Being dismissed for years before finally getting answers• The shock of being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition• Finding out the full extent of his tumours in an unexpected moment• Living with hearing loss and balance issues• Starting lifelong treatment with Avastin• Making the decision not to have high-risk surgery• The uncertainty of symptoms — not knowing what is tumour-related• Fatigue and the reality of daily life with NF2• Leaving work to prioritise his health• The mental challenge of not knowing what the future holds Austen speaks openly about how isolating rare conditions can feel — and why connecting with others who truly understand makes such a difference. He also shares how something as simple as getting a dog completely changed his life, giving him purpose, routine, and a reason to keep going. His message is simple: You can’t let it run your life. Just take it day by day. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, chronic illness, lifelong treatment, hearing loss, fatigue, and mental health challenges.

In 2022, Israh was diagnosed with a petroclival meningioma. But this episode is not only about diagnosis or surgery. It’s about what comes after. It’s about the “middle place” so many people in the brain tumour community know well — the place after treatment, where life continues, but uncertainty never fully leaves. In this thoughtful and deeply honest conversation, Israh speaks about living with the unknown:• the fear that does not fade with time• scanxiety and the dread of the next MRI• the uncertainty of planning ahead• the fear of needing another, more dangerous operation• living in a body changed by fatigue• grieving the person she used to be• learning to rest, set boundaries, and say no without guilt• discovering that strength is not always pushing through Israh shares how her life has changed since surgery. Once constantly busy, energetic and always on the go, she is now learning to live in a different way — with more compassion for herself, more awareness of her limits, and a deeper understanding of what it means to keep going even when fear is present. Her message is powerful: You do not need to be fully recovered to live a meaningful life. Alongside living with this uncertainty, Israh has also spent the month fundraising and showing her support for brain tumour charities, including The Brain Tumour Charity and Brain Tumour Research — raising money, raising awareness, and showing others that even in the unknown, purpose is still possible. This episode is for anyone living with uncertainty in their health, anyone struggling with scanxiety, fatigue, or fear of the future, and anyone who needs the reminder that it is still possible to keep showing up. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, surgery, scanxiety, fear of recurrence, fatigue, and the emotional impact of living with long-term uncertainty.

Shahleen Hussain was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour in 2014, when she was just 14 years old. It began with passing out in school, nosebleeds, and double vision. What followed was years of hospital appointments, scans, uncertainty, steroid treatment, seizures, and the life-changing reality of living with both a brain tumour and epilepsy from a young age. Because of where the tumour is located, it is inoperable. Shahleen has lived for years with six-monthly MRI and CT scans, ongoing symptoms, and the fear that one day doctors may tell her it has started growing again. In this incredibly honest interview, Shahleen shares:• Being diagnosed as a child• Her parents being told she had only six months to live• Missing school and watching her whole family be affected• Bullying after steroid-related weight gain• Hair loss, weak teeth, and long-term side effects• Living with epilepsy caused by the tumour• The fear and trauma of repeated hospital stays• The financial strain on her family• The silence and stigma in parts of her community• Being told not to talk about illness because it brings “shame”• Why she is now speaking up publicly for others Shahleen’s story is not only about survival. It is about breaking stigma.It is about challenging harmful beliefs.It is about making sure no one feels ashamed of a medical condition. Now 23, Shahleen is using her voice to raise awareness for brain tumours, epilepsy, and the cultural barriers that stop some people from seeking help. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses childhood brain tumour diagnosis, seizures, epilepsy, bullying, medical trauma, and cultural stigma around illness.

Claire was diagnosed with a sphenoid wing meningioma in 2020. At first, it was a grade 1 tumour. Surgery followed quickly, but doctors could only remove part of it because it was wrapped around her optic nerve. What followed was years of scans, seizures, repeated regrowth, more surgery, radiotherapy, anxiety between appointments, and the devastating reality of a tumour that became increasingly aggressive. In this raw and deeply moving interview, Claire shares:• Her first craniotomy in 2020• Why surgeons had to leave part of the tumour behind• Seizures, losing her driving licence, and losing independence• A second craniotomy and six weeks of radiotherapy• A third craniotomy when the tumour returned again• Being told the tumour had “grown back like a train”• Losing sight in one eye and coming to terms with losing the eye itself• Undergoing surgery through the eye socket• Being placed on palliative and end-of-life care• Hearing a 12-month prognosis — and still being here a year later• Finding strength through positivity, humour, grounding, and refusing to give up Claire speaks with extraordinary honesty about what it means to keep going through repeated trauma, life-changing treatment, and a future that once felt impossible to imagine. And yet through it all, her message is clear: Do not give up. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this story resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.

Christy was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2021, during the middle of the pandemic. It was discovered almost by accident. After struggling with body tingling, stress, and the pressure of being a mum and business owner during an incredibly difficult time, she was sent for an MRI as a final step after everything else came back clear. That scan revealed a meningioma. Christy found out by reading the results herself online while sitting in her driveway. The words “mass” and “meningioma” changed everything. At first, she was reassured that this was something slow-growing, something she might live with for years. She even named the tumour “Ruby” and tried to make peace with it. But follow-up scans showed it was growing faster than expected — and suddenly, doing nothing no longer felt like a safe option. In this powerful and deeply honest interview, Christy shares:• Finding out she had a brain tumour through her online medical chart• The emotional shock of diagnosis• Watching a “best case scenario” change• Choosing a craniotomy after multiple opinions• Telling her children• The fear before surgery and the relief of waking up afterwards• The reality of going home just two days after brain surgery• The medication side effects nobody warned her about• Struggling to read, think clearly, and feel like herself• Learning to accept help and be cared for• Creating her Instagram page, Life With Christy K, to document the emotional side of recovery Christy’s story is not just about the tumour. It’s about what happens after.The invisible recovery.The emotional fallout.The loneliness.And the love that carries you through it. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, craniotomy, medication side effects, emotional recovery, and mental health challenges after surgery.

Chelsea was just 19 when she was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma. It started with headaches. At first, she thought it was exams. Then stress. Then dehydration. Then hormones — as she was told repeatedly. She went to the doctor multiple times. But nothing changed. Her symptoms worsened. The headaches became unbearable. She couldn’t walk in a straight line. She struggled to hold her head up. Still, she was dismissed. Until her mum stepped in. Chelsea was rushed to A&E, where a scan revealed a satsuma-sized brain tumour. Within 24 hours, she was in surgery. In this honest and emotional interview, Chelsea shares:• Being repeatedly dismissed by doctors• The symptoms that were missed• Emergency brain surgery at 19• Waking up in ICU• Learning to walk again• Losing independence during recovery• The emotional impact of isolation and depression• Finding support through The Brain Tumour Charity• Becoming a young ambassador to raise awareness Chelsea’s story highlights the importance of listening — both to your body and to patients. Her experience is a powerful reminder that sometimes, people know when something isn’t right. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, surgery, recovery challenges and mental health impact.

At 16, Jake was diagnosed with an inoperable glioblastoma — a diagnosis that forced him into survival mode while others his age were just beginning to explore life. In this episode, Jake shares his deeply personal journey: From early misdiagnosis to life-changing discovery Undergoing intensive treatment and defying expectations Living with ongoing neurological and physical challenges More than a story of survival, this is a conversation about adaptation, mindset, and rebuilding identity. Jake also explores how he uses: Writing as therapy Music as rehabilitation Daily wellness practices to manage long-term effects His book, Keep Moving But Lay Still, reflects his experience with honesty, humour, and raw insight. This episode highlights an important truth:Survival is not the end of the story — it’s the beginning of a new way of living. 🎗️ Part of our Brain Tumour Awareness Month series

Naomi was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma — also known as a vestibular schwannoma — in April 2016. But she knew something wasn’t right long before that. It started with a strange feeling in her ear, as though it was full of wax. Later came problems with balance and coordination, numbness down one side of her face, and the feeling that something was changing — even if it wasn’t immediately understood. Her diagnosis came after an urgent MRI, following a referral from her dentist. What followed was a long and complicated journey through treatment, hearing loss, regrowth, radiation side effects, vestibular rehabilitation, fatigue, identity loss, ill health retirement, and eventually rebuilding life in a completely different way. In this honest and powerful interview, Naomi shares:• The unusual symptoms that came years before diagnosis• The confusion around acoustic neuroma and whether it “counted” as a brain tumour• Choosing stereotactic radiosurgery• Losing hearing on one side• Facing regrowth and needing Gamma Knife treatment• The delayed side effects that changed her life again months later• Falling, fatigue, vestibular rehab and using a walking stick• Leaving the career that had shaped her identity• How Brainstrust helped her find herself again• Discovering creativity, volunteering and building Hope Mosaics Naomi’s story is not just about diagnosis and treatment. It’s about what happens after.It’s about grief, adjustment, identity, and finding new meaning in a life that no longer looks the way it once did. Now, nearly 10 years on from diagnosis, Naomi is using creativity to reconnect with herself and give back to the brain tumour community. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, treatment, hearing loss, fatigue, regrowth, and the emotional impact of long-term recovery.

Anya was diagnosed with a large acoustic neuroma after experiencing persistent headaches. At first, it was thought to be stress. She was working across global time zones in a high-pressure consultancy role, balancing life with a young daughter at home. But an MRI revealed something far more serious — a large tumour located close to her brain stem. Everything changed overnight. Shortly after her diagnosis, Anya stepped away from work to prepare for surgery and spend time with her family. Her daughter was just four years old. The surgery was successful. But complications followed. Anya underwent two further surgeries and was placed into an induced coma. When she woke up five days later, her world was completely different. She experienced: • Weakness on one side of her body • Deafness in one ear • Facial paralysis • Severe balance issues • Double vision and visual loss What followed was months of intensive rehabilitation, including specialist vestibular therapy and neuro-rehabilitation. In this deeply reflective and powerful episode, Anya shares: • The shock of diagnosis and becoming a parent with a brain tumour • Life-changing complications after surgery • The mental and emotional impact of recovery • The power of neuroplasticity and small, consistent progress • Learning to accept a new identity • Finding purpose through advocacy and charity work • Why the psychological journey is often harder than the physical one Now eight years on, Anya continues to support the brain tumour community, helping others navigate diagnosis, treatment and life beyond it. Her message is clear: Have faith in small steps. Don’t lose hope. And allow yourself time to adapt to a new way of living. This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026. If this story resonates with you, please share it. Every voice matters. ⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, surgery complications, coma and rehabilitation.

Lara shares the story of her daughter Amber, who was diagnosed with a Pilocytic Astrocytoma on 11th May 2010, when she was just eight months old. What began with a strange movement in Amber’s eye quickly became every parent’s worst nightmare. After an MRI, Lara and Amber’s dad were told that something “not very nice” had been found in their baby’s head. From that moment on, life became a cycle of surgery, chemotherapy, scans, uncertainty, and long-term effects that continue to shape Amber’s life today. In this deeply moving story, Lara speaks about: Amber’s diagnosis as a baby Her first nine-hour brain surgery The heartbreak and fear of not knowing if their daughter would come home Chemotherapy in early childhood Travelling to America for proton beam therapy Emergency surgery after treatment The long-term impact of brain tumour treatment on memory, hormones, learning and daily life The emotional toll on the whole family The support of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, the NHS, and brain tumour charities This episode is a powerful reminder that brain tumours do not just affect one moment in time. For many families, the impact lasts for years — through childhood, adolescence, school, identity, and mental health. Lara’s story is raw, honest, heartbreaking and full of love. Above all, it is a tribute to Amber — her strength, her spirit, and everything she has overcome. Content note: This episode includes discussion of infant diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, long-term effects, and parental trauma.

Jenny is 54 and lives in Devon. She was diagnosed with an anaplastic astrocytoma (Grade 3) in 2021. Her first symptom seemed small — while having lunch with her parents, the spoon suddenly felt strange in her mouth. She thought she might have had a stroke. When she visited the GP, she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy and given steroids. But things didn’t improve. Jenny became increasingly exhausted. Her memory worsened, she felt confused, and she struggled to walk. By the time she finished work each day as a podiatrist, she was so tired she had to slide out of the car when she got home. Her patients began to notice something wasn’t right. Eventually, Jenny returned to the GP with her mum. She could barely walk down the corridor. After neurological tests, the doctor immediately referred her to hospital. A scan revealed a lesion on her brain. Over the May bank holiday weekend in 2021, Jenny deteriorated rapidly and required emergency brain surgery. Surgeons first removed a cyst and then discovered a tumour beneath it. Weeks later she returned for a second operation to remove as much of the tumour as possible. In this episode, Jenny shares: • The early symptoms that were mistaken for Bell’s palsy• Severe fatigue, confusion and struggling to walk• The moment doctors found a lesion on her brain• Emergency surgery during a bank holiday weekend• Being diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma grade 3• Hearing a prognosis for the first time• Radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment• A second craniotomy after tumour regrowth• Managing seizures and ongoing monitoring• A complex surgery to repair an infected cranioplasty site• Living with fatigue and learning to pace herself• Finding support through meditation, hypnotherapy and charities• Turning creativity into fundraising for brain tumour charities Jenny now focuses on staying positive, walking daily, caring for her rescue dog, and raising money for brain tumour charities by selling handmade cards. ⚠️ This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, emergency surgery, seizures and cancer treatment.

Barbara is 30 years old and based in Poland. She was diagnosed with a hemangioblastoma in March 2025. Just weeks earlier, she had gotten engaged under the northern lights in Norway and returned home excited to plan her wedding. Then the headaches started. At first, they came every morning. They were consistent, but not alarming enough to make Barbara think it was anything serious. She kept living her normal life — going to work, training for a half-marathon, and planning her future. But the pain didn’t stop, and some mornings it came with nausea. One morning in early March, the pain became unbearable. Barbara went for a CT scan, expecting reassurance. Instead, within an hour of getting home, she received the results: a tumour in her left cerebellum. She was admitted to the hospital the same day. An MRI suggested it was a hemangioblastoma, and further tests showed it was a highly vascular tumour, meaning it had a strong blood supply and carried a risk of serious bleeding during surgery. Barbara underwent angiography first, followed by surgery a few days later. In this episode, Barbara shares: Going from engagement and wedding planning to a brain tumour diagnosis Reading the words “tumour in the left cerebellum” on her scan results Being admitted to the hospital the same day The shock of learning she needed brain surgery The conversation with the doctor that made it all feel real Holding on to the feeling that “it’s not my time yet” Emergency surgery after an EVD was needed Spending nearly three weeks in the hospital Learning to walk again after surgery The emotional difference between looking physically well and not feeling okay mentally The nightmares and fear that followed coming home Returning to work after three months Why support from psychologists mattered Learning that recovery is not a straight line Barbara speaks honestly about the trauma, the fear, the relief of hearing it was benign, and the guilt she felt for not “allowing herself” to feel bad because it wasn’t cancer. Her story is a powerful reminder that even a benign brain tumour can change everything. ⚠️ This episode discusses brain tumour diagnosis, surgery, emergency intervention, hospital trauma and mental health after treatment.