I’ve got Davina McCall’s brain tumour but mine is twice the size – I fear it could suddenly kill me, says single mum
A MUM who has the same type of brain tumour as TV presenter Davina McCall fears she could suddenly die – but has to wait for treatment.
Katrina Carlin was told she had a benign brain tumour known as a colloid cyst in February 2022 after noticing a “dent” appear on her head.
The 23-year-old, who lives in Accrington, Lancashire, claims that doctors said the grape-sized tumour is too small to be operated on.
They said she’d have to wait for “five years” for it to grow before they would remove it.
However, healthcare assistant Katrina says her tumour is nearly double the size of Davina’s, who recently underwent a craniotomy, where part of the skull is removed to take out the tumour.
Doctors decide on treatment for brain tumours taking into account several factors.
If a colloid cyst is small and not causing any symptoms, the patient may be monitored over time with regular MRI scans, according to Brain Tumour Research.
But if it is large or is causing symptoms, then it may be removed.
Big Brother presenter Davina posted a video on Instagram earlier this month to say she had been diagnosed with the tumour after the cyst was found by chance on a health scan.
A benign tumour is not cancerous, but such cysts tend to grow slowly, according to the Brainstrust charity.
Katrina, who is training to become a paramedic, said: “I was told this can cause sudden death and I thought what’s my two-year-old going to do? I think about this all the time.
“All you’re asking about is when? When is something going to get done and when is death coming?”
Katrina was first diagnosed with a colloid cyst in February 2022 after noticing a change in the shape of her head and experiencing new headaches.
Katrina said: “I’d just had a baby and had my glasses on my head all the time. I noticed at the top of my head, there was like a dent in my skull.
“So I went to the doctors to get it checked and they sent me for a scan to check my bone density.
“When the results came back, they said we’ve found this incidentally and it’s a benign colloid cyst.
“He said where the cyst was sitting, it was blocking my spinal fluid from circulating.
“I’d been experiencing headaches way before that but thought it was just me not drinking enough water.”
Colloid cysts are quite rare, with less than 255 people diagnosed per year in the UK.
Since her diagnosis, Katrina said she’s been suffering with short-term memory loss, vision problems, nosebleeds, and fatigue, which she believes is all linked to the tumour.
Despite her worsening symptoms, Katrina said she was told by her neurologist in October last year that they would not operate on her cyst until it had grown in size.
Katrina said: “I was told that it’s so small and too dangerous to operate on, but then I saw Davina McCall had hers operated on and her tumour is 14mm and mine’s 30mm.
“It’s quite frustrating. I know it’s a small size but it’s still in my body.
“I told my neurologist I was struggling with nose bleeds, headaches, and fatigue and he told me that he ‘didn’t exactly know where to go from here’.
“I work in a hospital myself and work with patients and doctors every day so to be told that, I felt really dismissed.
“I genuinely feel like no one is listening to me. There’s never been a conversation about removing this tumour.
“The neurologist told me it would probably grow in about five years’ time but why should I wait that long for it to be removed?
“I’ve told my doctor to get in touch with my neurologist and say I want to be seen because I know it’s progressively getting worse. He’s going to refer me for a head CT.
“I’m at a loss, I don’t know what to do. This should be taken more seriously.”
NHS England have been contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said: “Due to the rules of patient confidentiality we’re unable to comment on a patient’s individual care but we would encourage Ms Carlin to contact us so we can answer any questions or concerns she has about her care.”