A Lincoln grandmother tragically lost her life to an aggressive brain tumour after her initial symptoms of dizziness were incorrectly diagnosed as depression.
A Devastating Misdiagnosis
Pamela Cook, aged 65, began experiencing bouts of dizziness in March 2023, shortly after helping her daughter, Clair Bowkett, plan her surprise wedding. Concerned, she visited her doctor, who attributed her condition to depression and prescribed antidepressants.
Even as Pamela's health continued to deteriorate, she was advised to persist with the medication. It was only when her condition became severe enough to warrant a trip to A&E at Lincoln Hospital that she received an MRI scan. The scan revealed the devastating truth: a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain tumour.
A Brave But Short Fight
Pamela underwent surgery at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham in November 2023, where surgeons worked to remove as much of the tumour as possible. This was followed by six weeks of intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Despite the brave fight, scans in February 2024 showed the tumour had returned. Doctors informed the family there were no further treatment options. Pamela passed away peacefully at home on 24 March 2024, surrounded by her loved ones, just five months after her diagnosis.
A Legacy of Raising Awareness
Her heartbroken daughter, Clair, is now channelling her grief into action. She described her mother as "full of life, funny, and the soul of every party," a devoted wife, mother of three, and grandmother to five.
"Glioblastoma is such a cruel and invasive disease. It strips a person of everything," Clair said. Determined to keep her mother's memory alive, Clair, along with her sisters and family, is taking part in Brain Tumour Research's '99 Miles in November' challenge.
The funds raised will support the charity's new Nottingham Centre of Excellence, due to open in 2026, which will focus on glioblastoma research. "If research like this had been available when mum was diagnosed, things might have been different," Clair added.
Ashley McWilliams, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research, praised Clair's efforts, highlighting that over 100,000 people in the UK are living with a brain tumour, yet research remains severely underfunded.
