Teen thought she had 'exam stress' - then doctors found 'shock' brain tumour

A teenager who thought her headaches and fatigue were due to GCSE stress was actually diagnosed with a brain tumour. Sara Govier, now 21, was preparing for her exams when she began experiencing and low energy.

Her parents thought it was nothing more than teenage growing pains and due to the pressure of her upcoming exams. But to be on the safe side, her mum, Mererid, 50, booked an appointment for Sara at her GP, who referred them to the hospital.

Two weeks later, Sara underwent an MRI scan and blood tests, which revealed she had a benign pituitary adenoma - a tumour on the pituitary gland.

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Mererid, a primary school teacher from Carmarthenshire in Wales, said: "Sara was a normal 15-year-old, preparing for her GCSEs. We just put her symptoms down to being a teenager.

"Like many parents, my husband and I were both working full time, her younger sister, Elen, was at school, and life was busy. We never imagined those symptoms could be a sign of something more serious."

Sara was diagnosed in September 2019, just weeks before her 16th birthday. However, further tests, including an ECG and ultrasound scans, confirmed it was benign.

Mererid said: "I'd never even heard of this type of brain tumour before. We were shocked, scared and overwhelmed.

"So many thoughts ran through my head, I didn't know if I was coming or going and never thought something like this could happen to us.”

Luckily it was possible to shrink the tumour using medication. "We were so grateful for the quick care provided by the ,” Mererid continued.

“Our GP reassured us that the tumour was benign and treatable, but hearing the word 'tumour' in relation to your child is utterly terrifying.

"I remember our consultant sitting with us and drawing diagrams to explain what was happening in Sara's brain. He was incredibly kind and really put Sara at ease, which made a big difference."

Sara had to take the medication twice a week to shrink the tumour. Mererid said: "Although we were relieved there was a plan in place, the side effects took their toll.

"Sara lost a lot of weight and experienced frequent fainting spells, especially tough as she entered sixth form and began her A-levels. There were days she had to skip lessons, and once she even fainted after running in a school athletics event.

"When I asked her about it, she simply said, 'Mum, I know. I should've said I wasn't feeling well'. It's moments like that you don't forget."

Sara is now 21 and living and working in London, and continues to attend routine appointments, but recently had to resume treatment due to an increase in prolactin (a hormone produced by the pituitary gland) levels.

To raise funds for vital research into the disease Mererid and Sara’s dad Gareth are walking and cycling 200 kilometres. Mererid said: "I’ve completed my 200k in May challenge for because we had never heard of this disease before Sara's diagnosis.

"Like many, we assumed brain tumours were rare. But we've since learned that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer – and yet they receive just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research. That must change.”

So far, Mererid and Gareth have raised a combined total of around £600.

To support Mererid and Gareth's 200k In May Your Way challenge, visit .

Symptoms

The symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on the exact part of the brain affected. Common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Seizures (fits)
• Persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness
• Mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality
• Progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
• Vision or speech problems.

The NHS says: “Sometimes you may not have any symptoms to begin with, or they may develop very slowly over time.” You should see a GP if you have these types of symptoms, particularly if you have a headache that feels different from the type of headache you usually get, or if headaches are getting worse.