Mom's 42lb weight gain dismissed by doctors turned out be sign of deadly brain tumor
The family of a woman have revealed how the symptom of a deadly condition was described as 'normal' when she visited the doctor.
Jemma Williamson had gone to the doctor complaining of back pain and headaches, as well as having gained enough weight to go up three sizes in a very short period of time.
Jemma's identical twin sister Leanne Wood, from Bathgate in Scotland, described how when they had tried to get answers at the doctors it had 'felt like hitting a brick wall'.
“Jemma was worried and so were all of us," said Leanne. “Looking back now, I think she felt so unwell with the headaches and back pain that she had almost accepted the weight gain.”
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Doctors had prescribed Jemma painkillers, and the family felt like they couldn't get any further.
Tragically, in 2019 Jemma passed away from a seizure aged just 33, and after a five-month-long wait a post-mortem examination revealed a shocking result.
The examination revealed that Jemma had been living with a brain tumor prior to her death.
“I still ask myself if there was more we could have done and whether Jemma might still be here," said Leanne. "I know I can’t think like that, but it’s still incredibly hard to accept sometimes.”
Leanne recalled the horrifying moment the family found out what had happened to Jemma.
In February 2019 Jemma's boyfriend had gone round to her house ahead of them having plans that evening, but 'couldn't get inside'.
Concerned, he went to get a set of spare keys from their father and then they went into the house, where they saw Jemma 'collapsed on the floor'.
“I still remember getting the call that night," said Leanne. "I had spoken to Jemma at 2pm that afternoon and by 8pm I found out she was gone.”
She added: continued: “The shock and confusion were unbearable because at that point we had absolutely no idea what had happened.
“Jemma and I spoke almost every single day. We would meet for coffees, go for runs together and tell each other everything.
“Losing that connection overnight was devastating.”
Leanne described how Jemma had very rapidly gone from 10.5 stone to 14 stone, despite being very active and even training for a half marathon to lose weight.
Jemma had an meningioma, a fast-growing and aggressive cancer which was wrapped round her spinal cord, which caused the fatal seizure.
Most meningiomas are benign, and can have symptoms such as headaches, hearing loss, changes to vision, and seizures.
Jemma left behind a daughter Rosealeen, who was only five when her mum passed away.
“Having to tell Rosealeen, who was only five at the time, that her mum had died was one of the hardest things our family has ever had to do,” said Leanne.
Her sister is now running the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money and awareness for research.
Kit Roberts