Shock diagnosis
Georgie Maynard, 46, from Oxfordshire, leader of a market research firm, was at home with her three children when a migraine caused her to black out in May last year. Georgie’s husband was in Australia with the two older sons, whilst she had just got back from taking the younger ones to their usual Saturday morning activities.
I have had multiple migraines every month for over 20 years, but on this occasion it was different, it got worse quickly. I came in from outside, sat on the sofa and it exploded in my head. My last thought was, that’s it, I’m gone.
Georgie
“Twenty minutes later I regained my consciousness to slowly discover my room no longer just had my 13 year old, 11 year old and 8 year old in it – but the ambulance crew, my brother, his wife, and later I heard a first responder who’d taken only 10 minutes to get to me. Wow, I was incredibly lucky to have such a speedy response.
“That was the start of my journey. A few days later I was informed about the brain tumour.” – Georgie
An “odd way to live”
Georgie discovered that she had a glioblastoma, an aggressive form of the disease and the most common high grade primary brain tumour in adults. In July 2023, she underwent an awake craniotomy, to remove as much of the tumour as possible. Six weeks of chemo and radiotherapy followed, and after that, six months of chemotherapy. She’s currently physically well, and continues to work. Her two most recent scans, in April and July this year, have shown that her tumour is stable, with no growth. But learning to live with her condition has taken Georgie on a journey:
“I’m very grateful my scans are stable. But what do I do now? I just wait. Wait for it to decide to grow back. Then I get back to treatment. It seems an odd way to live – you can’t work to get rid of it. There is no research ‘yet’ with an answer of how to destroy the GBM completely. You just have to ignore it and get on with life.”
Setting up Supporter Group, Maynards
Learning that investment and research into brain tumours is low, Georgie was determined to make a difference. She set up a Supporter Group with The Brain Tumour Charity, Maynards, to fund research into high grade tumours, and with the help of family and friends, has already raised over £25,000. Georgie said:
“My friends and family have shown such enormous amounts of support, love and kindness. Their generosity has been mind-blowing and I’m utterly grateful. It has been an incentive to keep going.
“Before I was diagnosed, I had very limited knowledge of brain tumours. I still do – partly chosen – I don’t want to read the tragic reality of what having a GBM means.
“However, we need to keep talking about glioblastomas, sharing the issues, and working hard to ensure we see change in Parliament and the NHS, that will positively impact the life expectancy of those hit with a glioblastoma.
“I have five kids, and a husband 13 years older than me. Whilst I can manage the limited likelihood of survival, it doesn’t stop me wanting to live longer, so my children don’t lose their parent when I did, aged 13. I want to spend more time with my family and friends. I want to live as long as I possibly can. I want to achieve more!
“Ultimately, glioblastoma patients like me, want to get more out of life, and achieve more in the areas we care about. See more sunsets, more autumns, more celebrations, more birthdays, more visiting somewhere we’ve never been before, more Arsenal games (ok not for everyone), simply more life!
“Awareness of brain cancer is too low, investment too little and sufferers are dying quickly and too young. Fighting brain tumours on all fronts of research, awareness and support is the only way to save lives, reduce long-term disabilities and to help everyone affected by a brain tumour.”
“Learning more about a cancer that is so quickly and negatively impactful, but has such limited investment and research, has had a huge impact.”
How is our research helping?
Dr Bo Sun’s research focusses on high-grade brain tumours, including glioblastoma. These tumours almost always grow back after initial treatment, so Bo hopes to be able to develop a blood test that will help detect recurrence of these aggressive brain tumours at the earliest possible stage.
Dr. Bo Sun
Bo is a Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Neurology Registrar at Oxford University. His research is focused on using key components of the immune system to improve detection, monitoring, and treatment of high-grade tumours. His goal is to develop a blood test that will help doctors detect tumour recurrence earlier.
