Woman with incurable brain tumour makes plea to GPs

Jessie Mae Lambert says her GP "should have taken her seriously" before she was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour

A woman diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour, who claims her GP dismissed her symptoms, has said no young person should have to go through a similar experience.

Jessie Mae Lambert, from Derby, started to have unexplained seizures in October 2023, but did not realise what they were and said her GP initially put her symptoms down to mental health.

The 28-year-old had two more appointments before she was referred for hospital tests in March 2024 after "persistence" - and her tumour was discovered.

A spokesperson for Macklin Street Surgery said they could not comment on individual cases, but would welcome Miss Lambert raising any concerns directly so the surgery could review its processes.

Jessie underwent a six-hour operation to remove some of the tumour

Miss Lambert said she was having seizures up to seven times a day.

"I had an episode in front of my mum for the first time ever," she said.

"She said 'you're having a seizure'.

"I went back to the GP and said, 'I don't think I'm having panic attacks, I think I'm having seizures'. The GP said, 'get your story straight.'"

Jessie said she was told at her third appointment to meditate, focus on her diet and rest.

She was eventually referred for an MRI and EEG scan at Royal Derby Hospital in March 2024 and was found to have a 1.5in by 1in (4cm by 3cm) brain tumour.

Jessie said: "I thought I was never going to get answers.

"Because of my persistence, by ringing everyday and chasing every appointment, I thankfully got to where I am now after being dismissed and even misdiagnosed.

"It took me seven months to finally get diagnosed which for some is seven months too late.

"I just think they should have taken my situation more seriously. I think even after I was finally referred, they didn't quite believe me still.

"Young people need to be taken seriously."

Jessie underwent a six-hour surgery to remove 40% of the tumour, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy.

She was told in September 2024 that she had a grade 2 astrocytoma, a type of tumour which is usually slow growing.

She still has to be monitored with a brain scan every three months to assess whether the tumour has grown.

Her latest scan showed that her tumour appeared to have shrunk.

Jessie has been working as a nail technician since August 2025

Jessie has welcomed a new NHS safety initiative called Jess's rule which urges doctors to "think again" if they cannot diagnose a patient after three visits, or find their symptoms are getting worse..

While she does not know if earlier intervention and diagnosis would have made a difference in her situation, she said Jess' Rule was needed.

She said: "It's something that needed to have been done years and years ago and I'm beyond happy that it's been put into place.

"I messaged Jess' mum on Instagram to just be like, 'thank you and I'm so sorry about Jess, but it's incredible what you've done'."

What is the new rule?

Jess' Rule, which came into force on September 23, is named after Jessica Brady, who contacted her GP on more than 20 occasions after feeling unwell in the summer of 2020.

Ms Brady was told her symptoms were related to long Covid and that she was "too young for cancer", but died from advanced stage 4 cancer later that year at the age of 27.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said her death was "a preventable and unnecessary tragedy".

A spokesperson for Macklin Street Surgery said: "We are sorry to hear of Jessie's experience, and we wish her well in her ongoing recovery and management of her condition.

"We cannot comment on individual cases, but we would welcome Jessie contacting us directly to raise any concerns about the care she received at our surgery so we can look into these formally through our thorough processes."

A spokesperson for Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board said: "We are committed to putting patients at the centre of their care, and Jess's Rule reiterates how important this is, recognising that patients are experts in their own body.

"Many of our GP surgeries already apply a version of Jess's Rule, and we will continue fully support them to continue this and ensure patients who need to be re-assessed are seen in a timely manner."