Bolton mum who battled two brain tumours smiles again

Claire Corser said she started experiencing headaches and struggled to walk which led to the devastating diagnosis.

Claire, now 39, – who lives in Turton – first noticed that something was not quite right when she was getting ready for work and started to experience headaches, and her balance was off.

At the time, Claire was a new mum, and her daughter Jemima was only six months old, so she thought she also may just be tired.

After having to be admitted to A&E because she could not “cope” with the pain, Claire was taken to Salford Royal hospital, where she was diagnosed with an Acoustic Neuroma tumour in 2010.

She was later diagnosed with Meningioma in 2016 after having surgery to remove her first tumour, but this time she did not have any symptoms.

In 2010 after Claire's first surgery with Jemima (Image: Public)

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She said: “I picked up some plates and dropped everything, and I wasn’t completely in sync.

“I went to the hospital for a scan, and I went home, but went back to A&E because I couldn’t cope with the pain in my head.

“It was so frightening having brain surgery for 12 hours.”

Although both brain tumours were benign, Claire says they were still significant because of where they were.

After surgery to debulk her first tumour, Claire was left with permanent hearing loss in her left ear, as well as suffering from tinnitus due to having to remove her balance and acoustic nerve.

Claire has since had to go to physio to train her balance again.

In 2010 after Claire's first surgery (Image: Public)Claire said: “I have had to adjust because I was not born without hearing.

“A consultant said I had magnificent bad luck.

“It’s a small price to pay not having my hearing.”

There was a point when Claire was suffering from facial palsy and thought she would not be able to smile again, and she was really “struggling” with what was going on.

She added: “I just thought if they can save my smile that’s the most important thing because nobody would know what happened.

“I just wanted to be able to smile and carry on with my life.”

The tumour was only picked up due to going for a routine scan following her first tumour, and it happened to be in the same place.

Because of previously being diagnosed with another tumour Claire was also referred to a professor of genetics because they thought she might have a genetic condition known as NF2.

After Claire's second surgery with her children in 2016 (Image: Public)Claire said: “I thought had this condition which would have meant I would present with multiple spine and brain tumours.

“I had a spinal scan because what was described sounded like I almost certainly had this.

“I was so grateful I didn’t have it and so grateful both surgeries were a success.

“It was a lifeline when I found out I didn’t have the genetic condition, and I didn’t believe them until I was at the appointment and spoke to a consultant who looked me, and it still didn’t feel believable.”

Claire’s second tumour has not been completely removed and although it will grow and at times be stagnant, Claire will continue to have routine MRI scans.

After Claire's second surgery (Image: Public)Before Claire was diagnosed with her tumours, she says she had never even been to hospital for a broken bone.

Claire says that she had a lot of support from her family, three children, and her husband Paul of 16 years.

She said: “You realise that every moment is precious, and you can’t take life for granted.”

And as her way of giving back, Claire will be having her chopped off, to donate to The Little Princess Trust, who make wigs for children suffering similar things to Claire, and cancers resulting in loss of their hair.

Claire has also set up a fundraiser, which will be split equally between Salford Royal Hospital, Brainstrust, and The Brain Tumour Charity.

She has raised more than £1k, which is above the target she set.

Click here (www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ClairesBIGcut) to help support the charities.

If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.