From brain surgery to a half marathon for Ashley

A mum who could not walk unassisted after surgery to remove a brain tumour has completed a half marathon.

Ashley Lamb, a midwife at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, raised more than £1,100 for The Brain Tumour Charity as a thank you for the support they provide to patients.

Her diagnosis came after a year of increasing symptoms, from hearing loss and double vision to vertigo and balance issues.

Ashley, 37, from Deal, said: “I had lots of strange symptoms, and my GP was trying to treat them, but nothing was working.

“It was actually a hearing screener who suggested it might be something neurological so I went back to my GP and put everything together and was referred for an MRI scan.

“I had suspected something was wrong but it was a massive shock to be told it was a tumour.”

Ashley had surgery to remove the tumour in London in September 2021, and tests later confirmed it was not cancerous. But she still faced a long recovery and some permanent after-effects, including hearing loss as surgeons had to cut the nerve to her ear to reach the tumour.

The mum of three said: “It was really difficult. My youngest child was just two at the time, so I relied on my husband and my family to help and they were a huge support.

“My mum moved in for six weeks and to begin with I couldn’t walk without assistance – I needed someone with me all the time.

“I couldn’t manage the stairs for a while, and for the first few days after the operation I couldn’t open my eyes because everything was spinning because the tumour had been so near the systems that control balance.”

After working with a specialist neurological physiotherapist Ashley saw her mobility and strength improve. After almost six months off work she was able to return, initially working on the telephone triage lines before returning to the wards.

She said: “I am fully back to normal now and so grateful to my team and my manager, who have been absolutely amazing.

“They were just brilliant and went at my pace. I now wear hearing aids and they have put adjustments in place to support me so I can continue to do the job I love.”

She decided to take on the London Landmarks half marathon after completing other charity challenges, including a Boxing Day dip for The Brain Tumour Charity with her husband and son.

Ashley said: “If you had asked me a year ago whether I could run a half marathon, I would have laughed.

“But I used to enjoy running before having children so I decided to give it a go. Initially I completed the Clifftop Challenge in Deal, which is 10 miles, so I thought I could manage another three miles.

“I really wanted to raise money for the charity because it was a source of support and information at such an uncertain time in my life. It is an honour to be able to give back to them.

“The actual race was fantastic, there were people cheering me on including one of my colleagues, and crowds along the whole route which kept me going. I really enjoyed the first 10 miles, but the last three were so difficult.

“But it was such a wonderful feeling to be able to complete it, after knowing I couldn’t walk without assistance a few years ago. When I first found out I didn’t know whether I would die the next day, so I feel very lucky to be here and to be able to do this.”