‘I’m a Wolverhampton mum and doctors dismissed my brain cancer symptoms as stress caused by my kids’
A mum from Wolverhampton has told how doctors dismissed her brain cancer symptoms as stress caused by her children
A mum-of-three from Wolverhampton says doctors dismissed her agonising headaches as “stress caused by her kids” - which turned out to be brain cancer.
Libby Woolaston’s health deteriorated so much she even went blind in one eye while waiting for a hospital appointment.
The 32-year-old began suffering persistent headaches in the summer of 2024 and went to her GP practice for help.
She says three separate doctors dismissed her concerns, saying her symptoms were probably stress or hormone related.
One GP even suggested her three children - Miller, ten, Dax, seven and four-year-old Forest - may have been to blame for causing her headaches.
She was finally diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (AT/RT) - a type of cancer usually found in young children under three.
But by the time she was diagnosed, her tumour had caused her to go blind in one eye.
Libby, who lives with partner Aiden in Wolverhampton, said: "I felt completely ignored for months, no-one was listening to me.
“I knew something wasn't right, but I kept being told it was hormones, stress or depression.
“One doctor even asked me if I had children and said: 'Do you not think it's just your children giving you a headache?'
"The pain became unbearable and I was taking painkiller after painkiller just to try and function day‑to‑day.
“I couldn't be the mum I wanted to be, and my quality of life was awful."
After her diagnosis, Libby underwent a four-hour surgery to have the pituitary tumour removed through her nose at a hospital in Birmingham.
She then underwent a lumbar puncture, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.
Libby was told she was cancer free in February this year. Since getting the all clear, Libby now has scans every three months and her eyesight has returned.
She said: "Now I see life very differently. I appreciate every single day I get to spend with my family.
“I don't want anyone else to go through what I did, so I would urge people not to ignore their symptoms.
“Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to push for answers – you deserve to be taken seriously."
Libby is now planning to walk 200km to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
Letty Greenfield, community fundraising manager, said: "Libby's story highlights the devastating impact brain tumours can have, as well as the urgent need for greater awareness and investment in research."
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