Mum blacks out at home looking after three kids - then gets devastating diagnosis

Georgie Maynard, 47, from Oxfordshire, was with her children at home when she suddenly blacked out. She later received a devastating diagnosis and had to have chemotherapy

A mum-of-five who was diagnosed with a brain tumour has shared her symptoms after she blacked out in front of her kids.

Georgie Maynard, 47, from Appleton, Oxfordshire, explained that she was suffering from a headache so decided to sit on the sofa. But her condition worsened and she suddenly passed out for 20 minutes in May last year.

Her youngest children dialled 999 and called the ambulance. She was rushed to hospital and underwent an MRI. The scan detected that she had a glioblastoma - a quick-growing brain tumour. 

Speaking about her shock diagnosis, the mum said: "It is completely unknown to me why I got diagnosed with a brain tumour. There is nothing in my life that says you're susceptible to x,y or z - but we don't know why the brain is targeted or how we get it. I had a headache so I thought I would sit in the garden and have a few minutes in the garden but that made me feel even worse. 

"I came back inside and sat on the sofa - that is when my head exploded and I blacked out. Twenty minutes later, I regained my consciousness to slowly discover my room no longer just had my three children in it - but the ambulance crew, my brother Charlie Maynard, and his wife. Wow, I was incredibly lucky to have such a speedy response."

Georgie was blue-lighted to John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, where she had an MRI scan a few days later. The scan showed that Georgie had a glioblastoma - a fast-growing type of brain tumour. Six weeks later, she underwent a craniotomy - a surgical procedure that involves removing a piece of the skull to access the brain.

She said: "The procedure was so that they could remove as much of the tumour as possible. I was awake during the procedure, they were asking me questions which allowed them to work out how much of the tumour they can take out. I then had six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, a month off and then I had six months of chemotherapy."

Georgie has scans every three months to monitor the tumour. Her two most recent scans, in April and July this year, have shown that her tumour is stable, with no growth. Georgie said: "I'm very grateful my scans are stable. But what do I do now? I just wait. Wait for it to decide to grow back.

"Then I get back to treatment. It seems an odd way to live - you can't work to get rid of it. There is no research 'yet' with an answer of how to destroy the glioblastoma completely. You just have to ignore it and get on with life. My approach is to distract myself. You have your scan and then you get your results which can give you a bit of a high. Then in the month before your next MRI, you start thinking and worrying."

Learning that investment and research into brain tumours is low, Georgie was determined to make a difference. She set up a Supporter Group with The Brain Tumour Charity, Maynards, to fund research into high-grade tumours, and with the help of family and friends, has already raised over £25,000.

Georgie's brother Charlie, who has recently become an MP is campaigning to get more focus and funding for brain tumour research. Georgie is currently planning to do the Twilight Walk in her village in 2025 to raise more money for The Brain Tumour Charity. Georgie said: "My friends and family have shown such enormous amounts of support, love and kindness. Their generosity has been mind-blowing and I'm utterly grateful. 

"It has been an incentive to keep going. However, we need to keep talking about glioblastomas, sharing the issues, and working hard to ensure we see change in Parliament and the NHS, that will positively impact the life expectancy of those hit with a glioblastoma. I have five kids, and a husband 13 years older than me. I want to spend more time with my family and friends. I want to live as long as I possibly can - I want to achieve more."

The Brain Tumour Charity has awarded a £225,000 Future Leaders grant to fund research that aims to find better ways to detect and monitor high-grade brain tumours in adults. These tumours almost always grow back after initial treatment, so being able to detect early regrowth could improve success of treatment.

Dr Simon Newman, Chief Scientific Officer at The Brain Tumour Charity said: "Improving our understanding of high-grade gliomas is essential if we are to improve diagnosis and treatment for people facing this devastating disease. Tumour recurrence after first-line treatment is a huge challenge when treating tumours like glioblastoma, so being able to detect them as early as possible will help inform the best treatment options. With our Future Leaders funding, we support the best and brightest minds to help us accelerate a cure for brain tumours."