A brain tumour survivor is sharing her story of hope this Tinnitus Awareness Week
Tinnitus and hearing loss were amongst Jessica Jones’ first symptoms in 2019. When the problems persisted, the mother-of-three went to the GP to get her hearing and headaches checked. She was given migraine tablets and told to go back if the symptoms persisted.
A few days later, Jessica returned and was referred for a CT scan. During the two to three-week wait for a scan, her blood pressure became abnormally high and she was admitted to hospital for further tests and was given the devastating news that she had an acoustic neuroma.
Jessica underwent a gruelling 13-hour operation after which she had to re-learn how to walk. She now has yearly scans and recently received news that the remainder of her tumour is stable.
Jessica, who is taking part in our 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge, said: “I’m taking part in this challenge because without the years of medical research undertaken my outcome and life could have been so different. I will be eternally grateful to the neuro team and to all those who have undertaken research into brain tumours whose dedicated work has allowed me to carry on with my life.”
Acoustic neuroma is a sub-type of schwannoma that occurs in the inner ear, wrapping around the vestibular (auditory) nerve, situated in the inner ear. Almost all are classified as grade 1 and symptoms can include tinnitus and hearing loss.
Our Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth has a strong focus on low-grade tumours, including acoustic neuroma. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the lab by clicking here.
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