A UK mother has spoken about her anguish after her 12-year-old daughter was given a devastating diagnosis following a trip to Specsavers.
In August 2021, Grace Kelly went for a routine check-up when opticians discovered swelling behind her eyes.
Watch in video above: Optician saves teen from malignant tumor
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She was referred to the hospital where an MRI scan revealed that she had a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor which is 20 per cent fragment size.
Grace underwent an eight-hour operation to remove the mass on September 3.
But the surgeon could only remove 80 percent of the tumor because taking more than that would put the student at risk of having a stroke.
Mum-of-three Vanessa, 32, said her daughter was always fit and healthy before a routine visit to the optician, which led to her shock diagnosis.
“The doctor showed my husband, John, and me scan images that showed a small mass, about the size of a 50 pence piece,” she said.
“They told us Grace had a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumor.
“We were really shocked and in a state of disbelief.
“I couldn’t understand how this could happen to our daughter and I was so scared.
“Just before her cancer treatment started, she had an MRI scan which showed that the tumor had grown back.
“I was devastated. Not only had it grown back, but another small tumor had developed as well.”
Vanessa and husband John, 42, are trying to crowdfund £200,000 ($A350,000) for private treatment in Germany unavailable on Britain’s NHS.
Grace has also been signed up for testing at the University Hospital of Würzburg in Germany and is waiting to see if she qualifies.
Writing on a fundraising page, Vanessa wrote: “This has really affected us as a family and it’s hard to accept, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster of fear, pain, hope and love for our daughter .
“She’s our superhero, and makes us wonder how well she’s doing with her treatment so far.
“Please help us fund this additional treatment for our beautiful daughter, please help us get her to Germany so she has the best chance of overcoming the odds.”
Health care assistant Vanessa said: “I find it shocking and disappointing that these pioneering treatments are not available in the UK.
“There’s something that might be able to help but we can’t access it.
“We are shocked that the standard of care for brain tumors has remained the same for the past 20 years.
“It hurts to learn that there is no cure for what Grace has, but we don’t want to give up.
Matthew Price, Community Development Manager for Brain Tumor Research, said: “This is such a devastating story, and we are so sorry to hear of Grace’s horrific diagnosis.
“We are really grateful to Vanessa because it is only with the support of people like her that we have been able to advance our research into brain tumors and improve outcomes for patients like Grace who are fighting this terrible disease. forced to.”
