A dedicated NHS nurse has been hailed as 'incredible' after providing specialist cancer care to a mother and her son more than three decades apart at hospitals in Greater Glasgow.
A Bond Spanning Generations
Stephanie Muirhead, now 46, was just a young girl when she received treatment for a cancerous spinal tumour at Yorkhill Hospital in 1990. Her care team included nurse Angela Howat. Remarkably, 33 years later, Ms Howat was there again to support Stephanie's 14-year-old son, Andrew, after he was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour.
Andrew's symptoms first emerged in May 2023. When they persisted into the summer holidays, his GP referred him to the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow. An MRI scan there revealed a mass in his brain. "When they started using dye for the scan, I knew something was wrong," his mother recalled.
The diagnosis led to urgent surgery. Neurosurgeons removed most of the tumour but left a thin layer to avoid damaging Andrew's muscles. His treatment plan then included chemotherapy and proton therapy. The recovery was arduous, requiring physiotherapy to strengthen his neck and the use of a wheelchair during chemotherapy, which his mother said "really knocked him out."
The 'Well-Oiled Machine' of NHS Care
Throughout the ordeal, Stephanie Muirhead praised the unwavering support of the hospital staff, singling out the continuity of care provided by Angela Howat. "The place runs like a well-oiled machine. You just keep going and then you look back and realise how amazing everyone has been," she said. "We've made friendships for life, especially with nurse Angela Howat, who treated us both."
Reflecting on the unique situation, Ms Howat, now a neuro-oncology clinical nurse specialist at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, spoke of the profound connections formed in paediatric oncology. "Caring for two generations of the same family has been very emotional and a powerful reminder of the lasting bonds formed with patients and their families during their most vulnerable moments," she said.
Remarkable Resilience and Recovery
Andrew's treatment involved a large multidisciplinary team. Roddy O'Kane, one of his neurosurgeons, emphasised that children's cancer care is truly multi-disciplinary, involving nurses, surgeons, oncologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, and play specialists. He commended Andrew's "remarkable resilience" throughout the process.
The family received wonderful news in the summer of 2024 when Andrew was told he is currently cancer-free, though he will continue with regular monitoring scans. His mother, Stephanie, has been cancer-free since finishing her treatment in July 1990 and has annual checks at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
True to a promise made before his surgery, Andrew's family welcomed a dog named Benny. Furthermore, Andrew's community nurses nominated him for a Dream Flight trip to Florida, where he visited Disneyland and Universal Studios, an experience his mother said was "the time of his life."
The Royal Hospital for Children's exceptional work was recently recognised when it was designated a Tessa Jowell Centre for Excellence for its outstanding, wrap-around care for children with brain tumours.
