Mum with brain tumour takes on charity challenge

Nikki Gilmour was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2016

A mother who feared she would never see her son grow up is taking on a 10km night-time walk to raise money for a charity that supported her through cancer treatment.

Nikki Gilmour, 55, from York, was diagnosed with a brain tumour the size of a lemon in January 2016.

Her son Luke was 11 and she worried about how they would cope.

“My first thought was of course Luke. I had not long separated from Luke’s dad, Paul, and we were just getting set up in our new home, but now I was going to be on my own recovering from major surgery,” she said.

“I needn’t have worried. From the moment the operation was booked in for that March, I had friends and family by my side for anything I needed. My family helping with finances and a lot of love.”

Ms Gilmour will join fundraisers on Saturday evening for the Shine Night Walk starting at Rowntree Park and passing Clifford’s Tower, York Minster and Micklegate Bar.

Her previous charity walks include a 100k Sahara Desert trek.

Nikki Gilmour did a 100k Sahara Desert walk for Cancer Research UK

Ms Gilmour, who is a self-employed beautician, first noticed something was wrong when she felt an odd sensation in her arm.

A few days later she had soreness in her neck, followed by a pain in her jaw that left her feeling as though she couldn't speak.

After being sent to hospital in an ambulance by her GP, she was admitted to an acute stroke ward for tests, which showed there was swelling on her brain.

The following week it was decided that the brain tumour should be removed.

During surgery, 80% of the tumour was removed, but she had a stroke and when she awoke she was unable to speak or move her left side.

She was told the tumour was cancerous and, with 20% of it remaining, doctors said she shouldn’t expect life to be normal.

She said: “Hearing those words was a turning point for me. I decided I wasn’t going to be a statistic. I had been so low and frightened, but I decided I needed to keep going and believe in myself, just like everyone around me did.”

Since the surgery Nikki has had six weeks of radiotherapy and four months of chemotherapy. She also went through occupational therapy.

With the support of her friends and her brother she went from being unable to lift a finger to walking around the block.

Ms Gilmour has done Shine Night Walks with friends in the past

She said: “Luke, who is now 19 and at university, was and still is, phenomenal. He would help me tie my laces and fasten my clothes. He was my main motivation to get my life back on track and not let cancer stop me.

“Although my tumour is stable and no longer visible, I have been told its likely it will grow back. I decided to take control of my life in the way I move forward because cancer takes that away.”

Cancer Research UK spokesperson for North Yorkshire Lisa Millett said eight in 10 people who receive cancer drugs on the NHS are administered medication developed by or with the charity.

She added: “Advances like this are all down to fundraisers like Nikki, who have helped us to double cancer survival in the UK in the last 50 years.”

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