Lyndsey loves music and has travelled all over the world clubbing and dancing the night away (I’m not sure that is how she would describe it). During all this travelling she has been lucky enough to meet some extremely popular DJs, and in recent months was pondering on a change of career, to a DJ Manager.
So in her spare time (not that she ever had any) she would travel to Manchester Airport picking up DJs and looking after them until they needed to go home. (great job – who wouldn’t want it?)
But……since November 2009, everything drastically slowed down, when after a routine visit to the opticians (SpecSavers, Arndale Centre, Manchester), Lyndsey was told by a young optical assistant that she needed to go to the emergency eye hospital straight away, because they suspected ‘papilledema’ (optic disc swelling that is caused by increased pressure on the optic nerve). The only symptoms Lyndsey had at this point were blurred vision (sometimes) and bad headaches (where she was unable to get out of bed). Obviously she hadn’t thought anything of it: with her hectic lifestyle, she thought it was self-inflicted.
A ‘CT’ scan was done and then immediately afterwards an ‘MRI’ scan was done. 3 days later we were told that Lyndsey had a Brain Tumour. It was unbelievable how Lyndsey dealt with the news; her strength of character was admirable and her positivity pulled everyone through the awful news.
On Christmas Eve, Lyndsey prepared for her operation. Her recovery was amazing, all the time just wanting to go home and see her family and friends. People could not believe how well she was doing, smiling and laughing all the time and leaving everyone at ease, and assuring them that everything was going to be alright. 4 days after her operation, Lyndsey was at home, trying to prepare for the New Year Celebrations (it was quite difficult to hold her down and say ‘no’, just because of how well she looked). A month later it was confirmed that Lyndsey’s tumour was a Grade II (benign). So Lyndsey went back to work and carried on with life, like nothing had happened. AMAZING!!
Then…………1 year to the date of her operation, 24/12/10, we were called to see the consultant. Lyndsey’s tumour had come back. Through all Lyndsey’s treatment she had been so strong, and to hear this was a shock (even to the consultant – they never expected to see her for at least 10 years). An operation was scheduled straight away, but she felt rubbish that another Christmas was being monopolised by her. But again, her strong, positive personality is what took her through every day of this situation she found herself in.
Lyndsey’s operation was early in 2011; this time she knew what to expect and she was out of hospital in no time – 3 days!! But this time, it was diagnosed that the tumour was now a Grade III (malignant). She had to have Radiotherapy. Lyndsey listened, digested and just quite positively said ‘let’s get on with it’. She had to have 6 weeks’ worth of treatment and is a 3rd of her way through. Everything is going well.
Lyndsey is my youngest of 2 daughters; she is the most confident, happy, self assured, focused person you would ever be lucky enough to meet. She is so welcoming and warm, that should you meet her, she would talk and talk to you, so that you would think you had been friends for ever.
But her biggest asset is her determination and positivity: right from the beginning, Lyndsey insisted she was going to beat this, even to a point where a Facebook campaign was launched to get ‘Tommy Tumour Out!!’, she has helped family and friends understand and deal with this awful illness, when we were all confused and frightened about what to do or say.
She is an inspiration to everyone and a great example to everyone. She makes me very proud.
Why are we fundraising……………..?
Throughout the whole process of Lyndsey’s experience, the one thing which we asked the most was “what and why?”, ‘why Lyndsey?’, ‘what has caused it?’ etc etc and most of the answers we got back were ‘we don’t know…’.
It’s awful to think that there are people out there with this illness and nobody has any answers. But after attending a meeting held in London, it was explained why this particular illness doesn’t get the funding for research it so desperately deserves.
In the grand scheme of things brain cancers, are 16th in a list of 18 cancers (18th being the least amount of people diagnosed with that particular type of cancer). Approximately 4,000 people per year are diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour, but about 10,000 people with other grades are diagnosed. So you can make some sense of why this illness is so under-funded: they believe their priority to be somewhere else. It is also a known fact that most cancer charities give only 1% of monies raised to Brain Tumour research, which is no way enough.
So…….. we have to help ourselves; neurologists, consultants and doctors have no idea ‘why’ people get Brain Tumours. They don’t understand ‘which’ particular tumour affects which gender, age group or lifestyle. They don’t know which kind of treatment works best on any kind of tumour, and this is ‘WHY’ we are trying to raise awareness and funds for a deserved cause, to ensure that research is done to avoid any more misery from this dreadful disease.
Thank you – please see our website here to learn more about Lyndsey
Click here to make a donation to Lyndsey’s Fund through JustGiving.
Previous Events
Wednesday 27th & Friday 29th April – Coffee Morning
Thursday 28th April – Stall at Corn Hall
Friday 29th April – Market Stall
Saturday 7th May – Charity Golf Day
Sunday 19th June – Parachute Jump
Upcoming Events
On the 10th December, the SDBTT Lyndsey Roughton Fund will be holding a fantastic show to help raise awareness and funds for brain tumours. To find out more download the leaflet below.