Rachael Booth is taking part in the Great North Run 2024 for The Great North Children’s Hospital.
Despite receiving a brain tumour diagnosis and choosing not to start a family, Rachael is still keen to make a positive difference to children’s lives in the North East by taking on the challenge this September.
In the third of our runner blogs, she talks about her decision not to have a child after getting that diagnosis, but also expresses her enthusiasm to do her bit to help the region’s children:
Throughout 2022 and 2023 I began suffering from severe headaches and migraines. I went to the doctors and was prescribed some medication, which made no difference to my symptoms. I went to my opticians as I thought it might have been my eyesight that was causing the problems, no issues there. I then went to the dentist to ask if I could get a mouth guard as I thought I was grinding my teeth in my sleep but I wasn’t, no issues there.
I was baffled, the migraines continued to get worse and I developed a constant pain in the left hand side of my neck all the way to my fingertips. I went back to the Doctors and asked for an MRI scan.
Two months later on Tuesday 19th September 2023, I went for an MRI scan at Bishop Auckland Hospital. Later that day, I received a call, asking me to attend the University Hospital of North Durham as soon as possible. The following day I was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
A family friend had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023 and had it removed and was living her life as normal now so to begin with I wasn’t too panicked. I knew I’d have to have brain surgery but I was relieved that we could now deal with the issue that had been causing me so much pain. It wasn’t until the Doctor informed me that it wasn’t just one tumour, it was multiple and that they were all embedded in my brain, meaning that they couldn’t be removed that the severity of my situation dawned on me.
Throughout 2023, I was undergoing fertility treatment in the hope of starting a family with my then husband. As part of my treatment for my brain tumour I undertook radiotherapy and I am still working my way through chemotherapy. My Consultant offered for me to have an egg extraction before the treatment began or in between the two treatments. I declined the offer. I decided it didn’t feel right to bring a child into the world knowing that I might not be here to raise them.
I did however want to make a positive contribution to children’s lives and, with a little help from my friend who was training on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the time, I decided to raise awareness and funds for the best children’s hospital in the North East, The Great North Children’s Hospital.
This will allow me to make a positive impact in not only one child’s life, but in the lives of several who are in desperate need of support and care. These donations no matter how big or small play a crucial role in supporting many children and their families who visit the Royal Victoria Infirmary for treatment and care, making their experience the best it possibly can be.
Innovations that significantly make a difference to both children and staff include life-changing research, cutting-edge equipment and technology – all funded by generous donations along with initiatives to support the wellbeing and development of staff.
I decided to run the Great North Run to raise money for The Great North Children’s Hospital. Some of my friends and family have kindly signed up to join me in running the Great North Run, some having never ran before! My fellow runners include, Emma-Jayne Booth, Megan Booth, Natalie Barber, Lisa Grimble, Amy Gray, Lindsay Stephen, Kyle Stanwick and Charles Campo and I am incredibly grateful to them all.
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