Lucy Marshall, a 65-year-old retail worker from Witney, Oxfordshire, was living a busy life with her two daughters, Izobel and Eliza, when her world was turned upside down in February 2021. After experiencing confusion and difficulty speaking, Lucy was diagnosed with multiple brain tumours which had metastasized from a melanoma she had battled in 2017. Despite the challenges of surgery, Gamma Knife radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, Lucy’s resilience and positivity have been unwavering. Now, she is determined to raise awareness and funds for Brain Tumour Research, hoping to make a difference for others facing similar battles.
Lucy tells her story…
Life was busy but fulfilling. I worked at Next, enjoyed collecting sea glass and rocks at the beach, and had just started a crochet course. My daughters, Izobel and Eliza, were my pride and joy. Izobel, 29, lived in London, while Eliza, 26, lived at home and commuted to London for work. I was content, surrounded by family and friends, including my three sisters spread across the world.
Everything changed in February 2021. I went to take a meter reading and found myself unable to read the numbers correctly. I kept mixing them up. At work, I suddenly couldn’t string a sentence together. I felt confused and scared so I called my GP, who thought I might have had a mini-stroke and sent me for an MRI scan at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. I was very anxious leading up to the moment when the doctor told me the results.
My MRI scan had found three metastasized brain tumours.
The diagnosis was devastating as I had survived melanoma in 2017, only for it to metastasize into these tumours in my brain. When my daughter collected me from the hospital, we couldn’t help but cry and hug each other. It felt surreal to be in this situation again, just a few years after my first cancer scare.
In March 2021, I had one tumour surgically removed above my left ear. After surgery, I was referred to a hospital in London for Gamma Knife radiotherapy, a targeted treatment that uses focused radiation to treat tumours. The process was nerve-wracking. I had a heavy metal cage screwed onto my head, but the care I received was incredible. During the treatment, they discovered six more tumours, bringing the total to nine. I had another tumour removed, so eight remain.
The journey didn’t end there. I started immunotherapy, but it didn’t agree with me. I developed colitis multiple times, meningitis, spent months in and out of the hospital, and even contracted COVID pneumonitis. At one point, I was found unconscious at home and rushed to the ICU, where I was placed in an induced coma for four days.
It was a terrifying time for my daughters, who had to watch me fight for my life.
Despite the setbacks, I remained determined. I’ve had regular MRI scans to monitor the remaining tumours, and so far, they’ve remained stable. I still experience occasional headaches and fatigue, and I continue to take medicine for epilepsy, but I’m grateful to be here, surrounded by my family and friends.
This experience has changed my outlook on life. The little things that used to worry me don’t anymore. I’ve learned to live each day to the fullest and cherish the moments with my loved ones. I’ve also become acutely aware of how underfunded brain tumour research is. It’s shocking how little support there is for such a devastating disease.
That’s why I decided to take on the 10K Steps a Day challenge in February. I want to raise awareness and funds for Brain Tumour Research, so no one else has to go through what I did.
If my story can inspire others or bring us closer to finding a cure, it’s worth every step.
Lucy Marshall
February 2025
One in three people in the UK knows someone affected by a brain tumour. This disease is indiscriminate; it can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, to date, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.
Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this.
If you have been inspired by Lucy’s story, you may like to make a donation via www.braintumourresearch.org/donate or leave a gift in your will via www.braintumourresearch.org/legacy
Together we will find a cure.