Glasgow woman takes on walking challenge after mum's brain tumour battle

Alisha Wilson, 23, will be taking part in Brain Tumour Research's 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge after her mum, Gillian, was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma brain tumour in May 2010.

Gillian had been suffering with bad headaches and dizziness, and was sometimes forgetful. 

The 51-year-old was told by her GP she had migraines and stress, but was sent for an eye test in after complaining of unbearable pain in her head. 

After spotting something behind her eye, the optician sent her to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where an MRI scan revealed a mass behind her pituitary gland. 

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Gillian and Alisha (Image: supplied)

Alisha, who is from Bridgeton, said: "I was 11 at the time and didn’t have a clue what was going on.

"Mum was in hospital for weeks, and I wasn’t allowed in to see her.

"It was heartbreaking because I’m very close to Mum.

"I asked the nurses ‘Is Mum going to die?’ but they reassured me that they were doing their best."

Most of the tumour was removed on June 6 that year and Gillian was recovering well but began to become forgetful in September.

It was found the tumour had grown back and filled with fluid, requiring another surgery to insert a shunt. 

Alisha, who works Dalmarnock Primary School, said: "The shunt managed to drain the fluid, but a few days later it had filled up again, so they operated on her again to fit a second shunt.

"Since the first operation, she had several setbacks leading to another 10 operations between then and September 2010."

Gillian then had six weeks of radiotherapy which led to her losing her hair, and in 2012 the double shunt stopped working, requiring another six operations. 

Alisha said: "It has left Mum with lots of serious health matters, including two types of diabetes because her pituitary gland was removed.

"She now has no short-term memory at all.

"It’s crazy, she can tell you anything that happened before her first operation, but she couldn’t tell you what she had for dinner two hours ago."

Alisha and Oscar

Throughout February, Alisha will walk 10,000 steps every day with her dog Oslo.

Last year, she raised £500 taking on the challenge.

She said: "This is a cause that’s really close to my heart.

"Who knows where my mum would be if it wasn’t for all of the research that has already been done?

"If we can get funding for more research, then maybe others don’t need to go through what Mum has."

Last year, Brain Tumour Research's 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge raised almost £1million to support vital research and campaigning. 

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, but just 1% of the national spend on cancer research is allocated to this disease. 

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Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: "We’re really grateful to Alisha for taking on this challenge for us as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Gillian who are forced to fight this awful disease.

"The best part of the 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge is that you can fit your steps in with your everyday life.

"That could be having a coffee and catching up with friends at your local park, walking your commute or school run instead of driving, getting off the bus a few stops earlier or walking around your house whilst on the phone.

"You could even team up with friends or colleagues and complete your steps together."

Participants will receive a free emoji t-shirt and fundraising pack when they receive their first donation and a medal if they raise £274 or more. 

You can donate to Alisha's fundraiser here.