From End-of-Life Care to Still Here | Claire’s Story

Claire was diagnosed with a sphenoid wing meningioma in 2020.At first, it was a grade 1 tumour. Surgery followed quickly, but doctors could only remove part of it because it was wrapped around her optic nerve.What followed was years of scans, seizures, repeated regrowth, more surgery, radiotherapy, anxiety between appointments, and the devastating reality of a tumour that became increasingly aggressive.In this raw and deeply moving interview, Claire shares:• Her first craniotomy in 2020• Why surgeons had to leave part of the tumour behind• Seizures, losing her driving licence, and losing independence• A second craniotomy and six weeks of radiotherapy• A third craniotomy when the tumour returned again• Being told the tumour had “grown back like a train”• Losing sight in one eye and coming to terms with losing the eye itself• Undergoing surgery through the eye socket• Being placed on palliative and end-of-life care• Hearing a 12-month prognosis — and still being here a year later• Finding strength through positivity, humour, grounding, and refusing to give upClaire speaks with extraordinary honesty about what it means to keep going through repeated trauma, life-changing treatment, and a future that once felt impossible to imagine.And yet through it all, her message is clear:Do not give up.This episode is part of a 31-day series sharing real brain tumour stories for Brain Tumour Awareness Month 2026.If this story resonates with you, please share it. Every story helps raise awareness.