A mum who “gives everything to others” has inspired her partner to take on our 99 Miles in November challenge to raise money to help fund research in the fight to find a cure for all types of brain tumours.
Mum-of-two Laura Critchley was diagnosed with eight brain tumours after developing sudden problems with her speech in May this year. She was presenting a Teams meeting in her role as Director of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) for a multi-academy trust when she suddenly became confused and unable to find her words. After the meeting, a colleague helped her to her car, but she couldn’t remember how to start it.
Laura, 40, was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary. A full MRI revealed eight tumours, seven on the left side of her brain which controls speech, and one deep in the centre.
Her partner Lee Vaughan said: “We are still awaiting a date for the surgery, which aims to remove the seven accessible tumours and analyse them to understand what is causing their growth. We’ve tried to keep things as normal as possible for our two boys, Brody and Fraser. We explained it using football: when a player clashes heads, they have to stop to let their brain heal. It’s like that with Mummy.
“Brody, who is 10, has already asked the hardest questions, wondering if she will be all right or if she might die. It is heartbreaking, but they have coped better than we ever expected.”
Lee has already raised £2,000 ahead of the challenge that will see him cover 99 miles throughout November in whatever way he chooses – walking, running, cycling, swimming or skating, anything goes.
Lee said: “Laura was the one who encouraged me to take part. She tagged me in a Facebook post and told me to use my running for something positive. I set a £150 target, and the support from friends, family and colleagues has been amazing. It’s a way of feeling like we’re doing something that could help other families like ours.
“We still don’t know if Laura’s condition is genetic, and if it is, our sons could each have a 50% chance of inheriting it. That thought keeps me going every time I lace up my running shoes.”
You can join Lee in helping us speed up the journey to a cure by signing up for 99 Miles in November and give his fundraising a boost by donating to his JustGiving page.
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