Kim Borthwick, a 35-year-old mother of two from Glasgow, was diagnosed with an aggressive, incurable brain tumour just one week after her symptoms began. She initially dismissed her headaches as a migraine brought on by the busy Christmas period.
From Christmas Burnout to Brain Cancer Diagnosis
Borthwick, who has four-year-old twin boys Max and Freddie with her husband Ross, said the headache was unbearable. “I remember saying, ‘I need to lie down’. The headache was unbearable,” she told the Press Association. “Then my hand started tingling and I lost feeling down one side. I was being sick.”
She explained that she “just knew something wasn’t right, but I’d never experienced migraines before so I put it down to that”. After several visits to her GP, she was referred to A&E for an urgent CT scan, which revealed the tumour.
Swift NHS Action Gave Her More Time
Borthwick credited NHS staff with saving her life, saying their swift action gave her more time with her boys. She was told she might need surgery that evening. However, she is realistic about her prognosis: if she makes it to her 40th birthday, she will be among the longest-surviving 10% of people with her type of cancer.
“I don’t know if I’ll see them start school,” she said. “You take those little moments for granted until you realise they could be taken away. My diagnosis has given me the clarity to enjoy every moment I have with my boys.” She added, “I know I would have made a bloody good granny.”
Campaigning for Brain Cancer Reform
Borthwick highlighted that brain cancer survival rates in the UK have remained unchanged for decades, calling it an “injustice” given improvements for other cancers. She has joined the Brain Cancer Justice (BCJ) campaign group, which urges politicians to provide greater support and funding for rare cancers and to appoint a dedicated minister for rare cancers.
“I have a fire in my belly to effect change for people diagnosed with brain cancer in Scotland,” she said. “It is difficult to accept, but it’s unlikely I will benefit from these changes. I can’t accept this diagnosis knowing we could be doing so much more in Scotland to support people with brain cancer.”
She noted that patients in other G7 countries routinely receive surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and treatment with the Optune device, which slows cancer cell growth. This combination is not routinely available in Scotland, leaving families to navigate treatment options and clinical trials alone. Additionally, tumour samples in Scotland are not routinely “fresh-frozen” during surgery, making patients ineligible for clinical trials requiring preserved tissue.
“These aren’t cures,” she said. “Nobody is pretending they are. But they give people more time with the people they love and, ultimately, that’s what matters.”
Government Response
Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care of Scotland, said: “I am grateful to Kim and all campaigners for their continued advocacy on brain cancer, and welcome efforts being made to raise awareness. We share their desire to further improve cancer survival and are taking action to improve the awareness and earlier diagnosis of cancers in Scotland. I would encourage anyone with unusual or persistent symptoms to contact their GP practice. We published our Cancer Strategy for Scotland in 2023, with a focus on less survivable cancers, such as brain tumours, and improving their outcomes. We welcome innovation in cancer care and continue to consider emerging evidence on new treatments and technologies to ensure patients can benefit from clinically effective advances.”
Borthwick shared her story during Glioblastoma Awareness Week, hoping future families might hear a different conversation and face a different outcome. “It’s too late for me,” she said, “but I want to make a difference for those who come after me.”
