A nursery teacher from Wiltshire is warning others not to shrug off unusual symptoms after she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. 

Catrin George-Carey, 30, from Devizes, was driving home on the motorway last year when her whole right side became numb and she was rushed to the hospital. That day her whole life changed.

She was later diagnosed with atypical central neurocytoma – a rare brain tumour – that was the size of an orange and growing unusually fast.

Catrin says there were symptoms all along that she just ignored or missed, and she is now urging others to not make the same mistake.

“I was on the M3 driving home for the weekend in March 2022 when - all at once - my right hand got pins and needles, my right arm became numb, and I felt the right side of my face droop,” recalls Catrin.

“I’m left-handed, and I’d noticed weakness in my left hand earlier too but put it down to not going to the gym. 

“Thankfully, I quickly came across a petrol station where I could stop. I was feeling sick by this point and had intense pressure in my head.

“I took some paracetamol and ended up lying down in my car, and phoned 111 who sent an ambulance.”

A CT scan later that day showed a mass the size of an orange in the centre of Catrin’s brain.

Wiltshire Times: Catrin's tumour was the size of an orange, and growing unusually quickly.Catrin's tumour was the size of an orange, and growing unusually quickly. (Image: The Brain Tumour Charity)

Just 10 days later, she underwent an eight-hour operation to remove most of the tumour - which she nicknamed “Cruella”.

Repeat surgery in June 2022 followed, after further scans showed that fluid had caused further swelling on the brain.

“Looking back there were loads of symptoms that I kept brushing off: the weakness in my left arm, a personality change, and intense headaches.

“So, my message to anyone reading this is that if you’re having weird headaches, go and get yourself checked out!”

One year on, and Catrin has now finished her teaching degree and is working as a nursery teacher following successful treatment.

“I just want to thank the amazing neurosurgery teams at Southampton University Hospital and King’s College London Hospital for everything that they did. 

“Also, the person who sent the ambulance from NHS 111 and the paramedic who made the decision to get me checked over despite my attempts to reassure her that I was fine!”

If it wasn’t for those around her urging her to get checked, Catrin would have carried on her life as usual, unaware of the orange-sized tumour quickly spreading in her brain.