"I lost my husband to a brain tumour six months after I was diagnosed with cancer"
A woman lost her husband to a brain tumour just six months after discovering she also had the devastating disease.
Julie McCullough, 58, was rushed to hospital after she suffered "intense pain" in her left arm and "severe headaches" and went into spasm.
A CT scan revealed two brain tumours and she underwent surgery two weeks later where the larger of the tumours was removed.
Julie was diagnosed with meningioma and still faces and uncertain future. But just two months after her surgery, Julie’s husband Robert, 66, collapsed at her mum's home.
Like his wife, Robert was rushed to hospital where a CT scan confirmed that he had a large brain tumour. He was given a prognosis of just two months to live and passed away in July 2023.
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Julie, a former nurse, from Newtownards, said: “I was numb and in pure shock.
“My brain just couldn’t cope with the news that this horrifying disease had caught both of us in the same short space of time."
Julie was on the way to see her mum, Ireane, 77, in January 2023 when she felt ill. She said: “I was driving to my mum’s house when I suddenly felt incredibly sick.
"I had to lie down, and then an intense pain shot down my left arm, which went into spasm.
“My mum called an ambulance. My blood pressure was through the roof, and I could barely speak. The paramedics thought it might be a heart attack or a stroke, so I was rushed to A&E.”
Julie was treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast where she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
During her recovery she “struggled to walk, speak, and even write” and was forced to rely on her mother, Ireane, for support - who later moved in with her.
Julie said: “When they contacted my husband, Robert, he just lightly said to keep him informed, which was so unlike him."
While Julie was recovering, Robert began displaying alarming symptoms, including unusual mood swings and behaviour changes.
After collapsing at Ireane’s home, Robert was taken to A&E where he was diagnosed with a large brain tumour.
Julie said: “For them to also say that my Robert, my rock for so many years, only had two months left to live was unbelievable.
“The consultant said we’d be only extending his life a little longer with chemotherapy, so we decided against it and went home to be together with the time we had left.”
Robert spent his final days at home as his health rapidly declined - supported by local nurses and Julie - who stayed by his side.
In July 2023, Robert peacefully passed away. Julie said: “I had a wonderful life with Robert, but in six months, everything changed.
"Job lost, husband died, health gone."
Left grieving, Julie faces her own uncertain future with the support of her mother. She still experiences ongoing seizures and as a result she is unable to return to her nursing career.
Instead, the former nurse is channelling her energy into this month’s 99 Miles in November challenge to help raise awareness for the Brain Tumour Research charity.
Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet just 1% of the national spending on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Julie said: “I want to make sure that no one else has to go through this, so each step we take to raise awareness is in his memory.
“We may not be able to complete the full 99 miles, but we’ll do what we can and I know he’d be proud.”
Ashley McWilliams, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Julie’s story is a powerful reminder of the indiscriminate nature of brain tumours and the resilience of those impacted.
“We’re incredibly moved by her strength and commitment, even in the face of such personal tragedy.
“The funds Julie raises will help us work towards finding a cure and offer hope to the 16,000 people diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK.”
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