Glenn thought her grown-up children were still teenagers
A woman collapsed at home and woke up thinking she was 28 years younger because of a deadly brain tumour. Glenn Lilley, 71, from Plymouth, came round convinced she was in her early 40s.
Doctors sent her for scans – which revealed a huge tumour the size of a grapefruit growing inside her brain. Medics warned she would be dead within six months unless she underwent emergency surgery. Glenn said: “I was shocked and horrified. My doctor told me that the mass could be seen on a previous scan, and the ear, nose and throat specialist had missed the then grape-sized mass.
“He commented on how aggressively the tumour had grown since then.”
In 2017 she began suffering with tinnitus and vertigo. But following a scan, an ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT) said there was no cause for concern. Describing waking up one day in 2021, the-grandmother-of-five said: “I thought I was 41, not 69, which was my actual age at the time. ‘I’d lost years of my life and thought my boys, who were grown adults, were still teenagers.”
Eventually, surgeons performed an epic 11-hour operation at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth in 2021. Glenn pulled through but was left with lasting damage, including partial deafness, vision problems and constant headaches.
Despite the grim outlook, the grandmother has defied every expectation – surviving four years on from her original diagnosis. Glenn said: “Although I was told it was low-grade, there is every chance it will come back. If it does, I’ll likely need radiotherapy, as further surgery could risk life-changing injuries. But I feel lucky.”
And now, far from slowing down, she’s determined to use her second chance to help others. This week, she’ll be taking part in Brain Tumour Research’s Walk of Hope in Torpoint, raising vital awareness for a disease that kills more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer.
Glenn said: “I’m not sure people realise brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40. I’ve had a wonderful life and feel very lucky, now I’m beating the drum for the young people living with this disease.”
Around 12,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour in the UK each year, yet just one per cent of national cancer research funding is spent on the disease. Campaigners are demanding that the figure be boosted to £35 million annually to bring it in line with other major cancers.
Supporters can join one of six organised Brain Tumour Research Walk of Hope events, which are taking place in London, Luton, Motherwell, Elvaston Castle in Derbyshire, Torpoint and the New Forest.