Kim Wilson, 37, was unable to speak properly and was disorientated when she crashed her car, but assumed she’d had a panic attack
A woman who thought she was suffering from panic attacks and anxiety was told she had an incurable brain tumour. Kim Wilson, 37, struggled with speech and disorientation after a car crash six years ago, but brushed it off as a panic attack.
Over the following three years, she battled memory loss, speech issues and episodes resembling anxiety, all of which were wrongly attributed to mental health problems. However, when Kim collapsed during a work call, she was rushed to West Cumberland Hospital where she was told she’d suffered two tonic-clonic seizures.
An MRI at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary confirmed the devastating news – she had a brain tumour. Kim underwent an eight-hour emergency brain surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. She was later informed that the tumour was a grade 3 astrocytoma – an aggressive and incurable brain tumour.
Kim, who grew up in the Wakefield and Leeds areas, said: “I became anxious about simple things like leaving the house or running errands. I thought I was just having panic attacks and put it down to COVID stress. My GP agreed it was anxiety and prescribed medication.
“There were other strange moments too. Once, I was found rambling and confused in the car. Another time, I had an episode during a walk in the forest.
“We were convinced it couldn’t be a panic attack because there was nothing to panic about. Looking back, these were all seizures. But I genuinely believed it was just anxiety at the time.”
Kim first noticed symptoms back in 2019. She explained: “When I crashed my car in 2019, I didn’t feel quite right beforehand, but I’d gotten used to feeling low, so I ignored it. I remember trying to speak to my friend, but the words just came out jumbled.”
In August 2022, Kim collapsed whilst on a work video call. She had suffered a tonic-clonic seizure and was rushed to West Cumberland Hospital, where she endured a second seizure whilst waiting for test results.
A CT scan indicated the potential presence of a brain tumour and she was hurried through an MRI before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. Surgeons carried out emergency brain surgery and several weeks later Kim received the diagnosis.
She said: “That night after hearing the diagnosis, I lay in bed and cried into my pillow. It was the only time I allowed myself to properly break down. I sobbed quietly, not wanting anyone to hear.
“My mind was racing. All I could think was that I was going to die. I remember watching a film and thinking that every single character could outlive me.
“But I didn’t stay in that place for long. I messaged a close friend, and she reminded me that I didn’t have to face it alone. The next morning, I told my dad.
“Saying it out loud helped take away some of the fear. From that point on, I chose to be open, honest and positive.”
Kim started radiotherapy shortly after her operation, followed by 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Despite the punishing treatment regime, she suffered relatively few side effects and finished her course in October 2023.
She now undergoes MRI scans every six months, with her latest results due imminently. This month, Kim chose to launch the “100 Squats a Day in August challenge” to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research – the only national charity dedicated to finding a cure for all brain tumours.
Now, more than 116 people – including friends, family, old classmates, and even strangers – are taking part from across the UK and as far away as Australia. The oldest participant is 92-year-old Sadie Nuttall from Edinburgh, and the youngest are seven year old twins Alfie and Freddie Slade from Battle in East Sussex.
Each participant has been challenged with raising £25, and together they have already collected more than £4,000 in just two weeks.
Kim said: “I think Brain Tumour Research is a charity that’s genuinely going to make a difference. People don’t realise how common brain tumours are until it affects someone they know. When I was a teenager, around 13 or 14, I was in a band and the guitarist was diagnosed with the same type of tumour I have now.
“Back then, I didn’t understand how serious it was or how many people are impacted by this disease. That’s why I want to raise as much money as I can – to support the research, help push it further, and give people more treatment options
“I’ve read about cases where brain cancer has been treated without surgery. Even if it can’t be cured, anything that helps people live longer and with less fear is worth fighting for.
“I want people to feel they can live with cancer, not just survive it. I can’t cure my own tumour, but I can help fund vital research that might lead to a cure for someone else in the future.”
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Kim’s story is a powerful example of how easily brain tumour symptoms can be mistaken for something else. Her resilience and determination to turn a frightening diagnosis into action is deeply inspiring. We’re incredibly grateful for her support and advocacy.”