Guernsey teacher to raise money after brain tumour surgery

Music teacher Bethan Batiste needed life-saving surgery as a child

A teacher in Guernsey is hoping to use her love of music to raise money for the charities that she says saved her life as a child.

Bethan Batiste was diagnosed with epilepsy after her family noticed she was having absence seizures.

She had an operation three years later aged 14 to remove a benign tumour, which was causing the seizures.

She said music was the only thing she was able to carry on with while her condition was at its worst.

Ms Batiste, 25, said after being diagnosed, she was admitted to hospital in Guernsey and later Great Ormond Street in London for testing.

But she said things got "progressively worse" until she was "basically having a seizure all the time", so the "pros of having an operation outweighed the risks".

'Lost my independence'

Ms Batiste said she was grateful for her family's support but the condition meant she had to stop most activities if she was not with an adult.

"The one thing I did carry on was my music," she said.

"I was able to carry on playing in wind bands and orchestras and school and I really enjoyed it... It was also one of the only moments where I wouldn't have a seizure was when I was playing so it turned into my own therapy."

Ms Batiste was 14 when she and her family decided she should have surgery

After surgery Ms Batiste was unable to go to school for three months, was told not to think and was not allowed to play her wind instruments.

Afterwards she said it was a "relief" to be able to play again and she started to support other young musicians.

She was supported by Headway Guernsey to help her come to terms with being sick as a young person and now works as a teacher at Thirst Music School.

Ms Batiste was given the all clear by doctors aged 18

"I wouldn't be here without the music in my life," Ms Batiste said.

"Music has meant so much to me and I am so happy now that I am teaching it to other people, to other children."

She is organising a live music event on 4 November at St James in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and Headway Guernsey.