Nicolette Richardson, 41, was told at first that her headache was a migraine but, after being rushed to A&E, doctors discovered a deadly brain tumour – from which she died two weeks later
A mum who initially blamed her severe headache on her physically demanding job as an osteopath tragically passed away just two weeks later after being diagnosed with a deadly brain tumour.
Nicolette Richardson, 41, experienced a sudden headache on November 16, 2020. Her GP initially attributed it to a migraine due to stress and the physical demands of her osteopath job. However, she was advised to visit A&E if the pain persisted despite taking painkillers.
Later that day, an MRI at Charing Cross Hospital revealed the devastating news that Nicolette had a stage four glioblastoma brain tumour. This led to emergency surgery on November 23 to remove as much of the tumour as possible. Unfortunately, the surgery left Nicolette with paralysis and blindness.
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Nicolette’s condition worsened, and she was placed into a coma. She sadly passed away on November 30, 2020. Her partner, Austen Ham-Howes, 45, expressed the shock and impact of the swift turn of events.
He said: “One minute, we were viewing houses where we planned to build a future together – the next, Nicolette was taken ill. Suddenly, I was thrust into a world where the mother of my child was fighting for her life.”
Nicolette was dealt a tragic blow when an MRI revealed she had a stage four glioblastoma brain tumour, the deadliest type of brain cancer. In a rapid turn of events, just six days following her diagnosis, Nicolette underwent emergency surgery, which tragically left her paralysed on her left side, blind in one eye, and with only partial vision in the other. .
Devastated by the abrupt upheaval of their lives, Austen said, “Nicolette had zero symptoms, yet our whole lives were turned upside down in just weeks and we were cheated of the chance to have a fair fight against this disease.”
Despite understanding it wasn’t right, Austen admitted, “I know it was wrong, but I felt so jealous of people who had time to come to terms with this devastating disease. For us, it felt as quick as ripping off a plaster.”
Following her operation, doctors put Nicolette into a coma, and heartbreakingly, she never woke up again – her life support was switched off on 30 November 2020. Now, five years later, Austen along with his daughter Isabella, are dedicated to raising funds for Brain Tumour Research in loving memory of Nicolette.
Through Richmond Osteopaths, the clinic once run by Nicolette, Austen has been contributing £2 from every treatment during Brain Tumour Awareness Month [March 2025]. .
Describing their new approach to life, Austen reveals that he and Isabella, who is now eight and a spitting image of her mum, support each other in their journey of healing: “We try to live with positivity, and we try to honour her mum every single day.”
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Nicolette’s story is incredibly moving and we’re grateful to Austen for sharing it with us. It’s a stark reminder that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. It’s only by working together that we can change this. We fully support Austen’s fundraising and would like to thank him and the team at Richmond Osteopaths for their support.”
