A woman from Cambridgeshire, who blamed her brain tumour symptoms on FaceTime connection issues, is taking on a month-long challenge to find a cure.
Lauren Freeman, 22, was diagnosed with an epidermoid tumour in June 2024, six months after first experiencing vacant seizures caused by the growth. The then-university student had noticed the screen and audio freeze during regular video calls with her boyfriend (pictured together below) as well as with her family.
Her loved ones explained she had been freezing, not the call, in December 2023. After speaking to a GP, an MRI scan revealed the slow-growing lesion on her brain that had been causing her vacant seizures.
Lauren’s brain tumour symptoms increased, and she now takes medication to manage episodes of déjà vu, prolonged auras and multiple types of seizure. Despite this, she graduated with a First Class degree and attained her dream job as a primary school teacher.
The recent graduate said: “Despite my diagnosis, I’m able to live a normal life and I’m thankful to the medical team who has looked after me so well. It was a scary time – I didn’t know what having a brain tumour meant – but my family have been very encouraging, as have my uni and the school I now work at.
"Brain tumours are more common than people might think. I want to use my own experience of the disease to help other people.”
Determined to support other brain tumour patients, Lauren is set to take on our 200k in May Your Way challenge to help find a cure, during which she will run, cycle, walk or mix it up to reach her goal.
Find out more about 200K in May Your Way or donate to Lauren’s JustGiving fundraiser here.
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