Sara Birnie, 34, from Northamptonshire, began experiencing fainting episodes
A mum’s fainting spells and dizzy episodes were initially put down to low blood pressure before medics discovered what was really going on. Sara Birnie, 34, had been experiencing blackouts for a year before doctors realised she had a tumour blocking the flow of fluid around her brain.
In January this year, Sara collapsed twice while out for lunch with friends and was rushed to Kettering General Hospital, Northamptonshire. Medics initially believed low blood pressure was the cause, but that evening she started being sick and lost consciousness again.
A CT scan uncovered a small lesion on her brain, along with a dangerous build-up of fluid. Sara – accompanied by her mum Jeanette, 51, and sister Mica, 30 – was urgently transferred to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital for brain surgery the following day to relieve the pressure.
Mum-of-two Sara, from Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, said: “I’d stand up and everything would go dark. I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my head and then I’d just black out.
“It was terrifying because I didn’t understand what was happening. I kept wondering what would happen if I collapsed when I was with the kids. It was always in the back of my mind that something serious might be wrong.”
Sara underwent a procedure to relieve the pressure on her brain in January 2025.
She said: “Everything happened faster than I could think. I went from hoping I’d go home after a few tests to being told I needed emergency brain surgery – it was terrifying.
“I’d left home thinking I’d be back that night and didn’t come home for a week. All I could think about was my children and whether I’d see them again.”
The next day, surgeons drilled into Sara’s skull to drain the fluid and took a biopsy of the lesion. The mass was only half a millimetre – roughly the size of a grain of fine sand – but it had obstructed the normal flow of fluid around her brain.
Tests showed the growth was a low-grade papillary tumour in the pineal region – non-cancerous, but due to its location, it could still pose a threat to life.
Sara said: “When I got the results, I just burst into tears – it was pure relief. After weeks of waiting and preparing for the worst, to be told it wasn’t cancer felt like I’d been given my life back.
“It’s changed everything for me. I appreciate the little things now – family walks, watching my children play – all the things I used to take for granted.”
Now feeling stronger and eager to help others, Sara has joined Brain Tumour Research’s 99 Miles in November challenge.
Sara said: “I saw the challenge on Facebook and knew I had to take part because not everyone gets the good news I did. I want to raise money for research so more people can have a better outcome. Doing it with my friends makes it even more special – it’s something positive to come out of something so scary.”
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Sara’s story shows how quickly life can change. From blacking out to being rushed for emergency brain surgery is a terrifying experience, and we’re in awe of her strength and positivity. Her determination to turn something so frightening into a force for good is truly inspiring.”
To back Sara in the 99 Miles in November challenge, visit her JustGiving page.