Pregnant woman unable to 'curl toes' told she had one year to live halfway through term

Laura Mahon was halfway through her pregnancy when she noticed the symptom that she was initially told was nothing to worry about, but was something much more sinister.

A young mum faced unimaginable fear during her pregnancy when she discovered she couldn't 'curl' her toes – a sign of a harrowing diagnosis. Laura Mahon of St Helens, Merseyside initially dismissed the symptoms as typical pregnancy issues.

Recalling her ordeal, the 31-year-old said: "The doctors ran several other scans before finally getting to the brain scan I had been pushing for. When the day of the scan came, I saw all the doctors suddenly rushing into the room, and that's when it hit me - something wasn't right.

"They told me I'd only be in the machine for 15 minutes, but an hour later, I was still lying there, waiting. My heart was pounding.

"After the scan, they pulled me aside into a room and told me I had a brain tumour – a Glioma - and that I probably only had a year left to live. I was brokenhearted and worried for myself, my husband, Danny, and our unborn daughter, Sienna. We went home and just cried."

The Echo reports Laura and Danny were confronted with a heart-wrenching choice when they discovered their pregnancy was at risk due to Laura's health. They had to decide whether to proceed with the pregnancy or start aggressive treatment that could jeopardise their unborn child.

Laura said: "We wanted to give Sienna the best possible chance. The neonatal team told us that aiming for 32 weeks was ideal, as babies generally do better at that stage.

"Since I couldn't have contrast dye during my MRI, the doctors couldn't see the tumour clearly, but they suspected it was aggressive and needed surgery right away. It was a tough decision - my life versus my baby's. In the end, we chose to wait as long as we could for Sienna's sake."

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However, by the 27th week, Laura's condition deteriorated rapidly. She recounted: "The cancer was spreading. I lost feeling in my right arm and started to lose the mobility of my leg and struggled to walk. It was just awful.

"I knew the tumour was growing in my head, and I couldn't do anything about it until my baby was safely delivered."

Laura tried to stay positive, but admitted: "I tried to keep myself distracted and remain positive every day, but I could feel myself getting worse and feared for my life. We didn't really handle it very well - every day was torture. Danny just tried to keep me positive and reassured me everything would be okay."

At 30 weeks, the medical team decided to perform an emergency C-section. Laura gave birth to Sienna while under general anaesthetic. Sienna arrived 10 weeks early, small but healthy. With her daughter now out of harm's way, Laura began her battle against cancer.

"I was told brain cancer is really hard to treat, especially when the tumour's inoperable", she said. "I went through chemo and radiotherapy, but nothing worked. For a long time, I knew the day would come when they'd say there was nothing more they could do for me."

In June 2024, Laura's condition severely declined - over just three days, she suffered from over 50 seizures, leading to her emergency admission to A&E. Despite doctors' efforts, the seizures continued unabated, resulting in her transfer to The Walton Centre, known for its specialist neurology care. Following a week of intensive treatment, she was able to return home.

However, only two months later, Laura and her partner Danny were confronted with their worst fear: the NHS had exhausted all treatment options for her. "My tumour had grown significantly, and my liver function had deteriorated to the point where chemotherapy was no longer viable. But still, I refuse to give up."

The family is now considering private treatments as a new avenue to potentially prolong her life and afford her more precious moments with family. Promising trials in London offer some hope, yet come with great financial burden.

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They have turned to GoFundMe to raise funds for these expensive treatments, including the hefty cost of an oxygen machine rental which exceeds £800 a month. Since being diagnosed three years ago, Laura has become a vocal advocate for brain cancer awareness.

She uses her Instagram and TikTok accounts to share her personal journey and connect with others facing similar challenges. Laura's mission is unequivocal: brain cancer research doesn't get the funding it desperately needs, and there's an urgent requirement for more effective treatments.

She explained: "Brain cancer kills more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, yet it receives only 1% of the national spend on cancer research. This disparity has fuelled my determination to raise awareness and funds for brain cancer research."

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