Woman robbed of seeing her grandchildren grow up after being told she had trapped nerve

North Wales Live

21-07-2025

A mum-of-two diedy from an aggressive brain tumour after her symptoms, which included back pain, were initially diagnosed as a trapped nerve. Helen Arthur, 57, from Merthyr Tydfil, first fell ill on Good Friday in April 2019, when she began to suffer from persistent back pain and visual issues.
Her GP attributed the symptoms to a trapped nerve; however, Helen's condition failed to improve. Following the onset of headaches, an eye examination led to her being sent to hospital over concerns she might have had a minor stroke.
Subsequent CT scans uncovered a mass on Helen's brain, leading to a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a relentless and terminal brain tumour. In May 2019, Helen underwent an operation to excise the tumour, which was then followed by half a year of intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.
Despite this, a routine scan in 2021 revealed the cancer's return, prompting another round of therapy. Later MRI scans showed the emergence of multiple untreatable tumours, and Helen's health declined too rapidly for further intervention.
Helen sadly died in May 2022, three years post her initial surgery. Her husband, Brent Arthur, said: "We were told Helen had a brain tumour, which was a complete shock. The doctors said most people survive just two to three years.
"Words left me, I was speechless. We were told there would be a recurrence, but it took us by surprise, we thought we had more time."
Following Helen's initial CT scan at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, which detected a mass, she was moved to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Brent recounted the harrowing moment he received the call from his son in May 2019, breaking the grim news.
He recalled: "I wasn't feeling well, so I went to bed and expected our son Benjamin and Helen to be home within a couple of hours. I got a call from Benjamin saying I needed to go to the hospital.
"Confused as to what could be wrong, I went. That was when our lives changed."
Helen underwent surgery and six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which initially seemed successful. She maintained an active lifestyle while being closely observed with quarterly scans.
However, a scan in late 2021 revealed the cancer had returned, leading to another round of treatment for Helen, combining radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
An MRI in April 2022 showed multiple tumours that were inoperable. Shortly after, it was discovered Helen had a rare genetic mutation potentially treatable with specific drugs, but her health had already declined too far for treatment.
Brent said: "We were all shocked and devastated. We spent as much time together as possible, with the children and grandchildren. Seeing Helen decline was difficult for us all."
Following her death, Helen left behind her husband Brent, along with children Emily, 35, and Benjamin, 33, plus grandchildren Penny, six, Nora, four, Isaac, three, and Rhoda, one.
Brent said: "Helen lived for her family. She was looking forward to reducing her work hours so she could help care for our grandchildren.
"That's what hurts the most, she never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that."
Brent and his relatives have since collected more than £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research, sufficient to support two days of investigation at one of the charity's Centres of Excellence. On Father's Day, Brent undertook a 10,000-foot skydive in Helen's honour.
Brent said: "Our family has been robbed of a wife, mother and grandmother and more funding is desperately needed for research. Without it, other families will continue to face the same heartbreak we've been going through."
Annually across the UK, approximately 3,200 people receive a glioblastoma diagnosis, though merely 160 will live beyond five years. Glioblastoma represents one in three primary brain tumour cases, with existing treatments providing minimal long-term prospects.
Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Helen's story is heartbreaking and all too common. Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options and a devastating prognosis.
"We are incredibly grateful to Brent and his family for honouring Helen's memory through their fundraising. It's support like this that helps us push for better outcomes and ultimately a cure."