Connie Campbell, now 13, started feeling unwell after the rides during a family day out at the park in Surrey and started having headaches and being sick two days later.
An 11-year-old girl was diagnosed with a brain tumour after riding a rollercoaster at Thorpe Park, which her mum claims “dislodged” the mass and triggered symptoms.
Connie Campbell, now 13, fell ill after enjoying the rides on a family day out at the Surrey park and began experiencing headaches and vomiting two days later. Her mum, Tina Smith, 54, believes the intense motion of the ride dislodged the tumour in Connie’s brain, causing her to become unwell. Fortunately, this led to the detection of the grade-four cancer just before it could spread to her spine.
Connie underwent brain surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which forced her to miss a year of school. Now, Tina, a mum-of-two, is running a marathon to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research. Tina, a personal assistant from Woodford, London, said: “There’s a difference between getting thrown around a bit for fun and having your head ricochet so hard you don’t feel right after.
“Connie and I didn’t go on those rides again, but her dad and brother did. It was two days later that she started being sick, which seems too much of a coincidence for the two things not to be related. I suspect the rides dislodged her tumour and, if that’s the case, I’m glad because I was told we found it at a good time, before it spread to her spine.”
The family visited the theme park during the August Bank Holiday in 2022, and Connie underwent brain surgery in October of the same year. Connie, a year nine student, has faced developmental challenges due to her condition and treatment. Her mother Tina, who had to postpone her participation in the London Marathon 2024 because of a knee injury, is now ramping up her training to tackle the iconic 26.2-mile course on Sunday, April 27.
She added: “My family can’t quite believe that I’m going to be running a marathon, they are very proud. I’d never considered doing one until recent years when I watched runners in London and with Connie’s diagnosis, the time feels right.”
Tina will not be alone in her endeavour; her friend Lucy Bradley, 48, from Woodford, will be joining her. Together, they’ve already raised over £2,000 for Brain Tumour Research. Tina continued: “There’s so much that’s unknown about brain tumours and treatment is often invasive and harsh for patients, especially children.”
“To answer the questions we have, such as what caused the brain tumour, how do we stop the cancer, and what other treatments are there, I’m going to run the London Marathon to raise awareness and much-needed funds to find these answers.”
Carol Robertson, the national events manager for Brain Tumour Research, commented on the situation: “It’s desperately sad to hear about Connie’s diagnosis. In the UK, 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour and just under 13% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54% across all cancers.”
“We’re determined to change that but it’s only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, a cure. We’re really grateful for Tina and Lucy’s support and will be there to cheer her across the finish line in April.”
