11-07-2025
I had no symptoms of killer condition until it struck on holiday – but medics just blamed heatstroke
WHEN Moli Morgan started feeling unwell on holiday in Turkey a doctor at the resort told her it was likely just heatstroke.
So the 22-year-old was shocked just days later to discover her symptoms were actually a sign of a life-threatening brain tumour.
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"I had no real warning signs before or during the holiday," the young farmer, from Powys in Wales, said.
"I have only ever had a migraine but didn't think anything of it at the time," she added.
Then, the night before flying home in October last year, Moli suffered two seizures while in Antalya with her boyfriend, 22-year-old mechanic Ollie Higgins.
"We'd had a lovely week there, it was really relaxed and there was a water park at the hotel which was great," she explained.
"It was hot but not unbearable, around 28-30C,"
But that night, she suffered a seizure at around 1am, followed by a second one about 20 minutes later.
Ollie, whom Moli had been with for six years, called for the medics at the resort.
"They had a doctor on site at the hotel who told me it was probably just heatstroke," Moli said.
"We had been in the sun all day and I hadn't drank much water, so I sort of thought nothing more of it and that is was probably just heatstroke, and we flew home the next evening," she explained,
When she got home, one of Moli's three sisters, a nurse, suggested she go to hospital "just to be on the safe side", she said
The six warning signs of brain tumours
Moli went to Shrewsbury Hospital, where an MRI scan revealed a 4cm brain tumour called a glioma on the left side of her brain.
A glioma is a type of tumour that starts in the brain or spinal cord from glial cells, which support nerve cells and can be deadly.
"I just couldn't believe it, as I had no other real symptoms and felt completely fine," she said.
"It was obviously very scary and you expect the worst when you're told you have a brain tumour," she added.
Moli stayed in hospital for four to five days, taking anti-seizure medication before she was allowed home.
She was later transferred to the Royal Stoke University Hospital, where she met with consultant neurologist Dr Erminia Albanese and her team to discuss her treatment options.
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For the operation to remove the tumour, Moli was told she would have to be awake to ensure the language centre of her brain wasn't being damaged.
"I didn't even really think about it, I just thought do whatever you need to do," she said.
Moli had the procedure in December, with an interpreter present so she could communicate during the surgery and the team could monitor her to ensure she didn't lose the ability to speak Welsh - her first language - afterwards.
"There was like this powerpoint presentation with basic things like animals and food on them - and I had to repeat the words back," Moli explained.
"There was a couple of times I didn't get it right, so they knew that was the part affecting my language and not to interfere there," she added.
"It's mind-blowing what they can do really."
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'Everything has been positive since'
Moli only remembers bits of the operation, which went on for four hours.
"I had around 28 staples in my head and stayed in for a couple of days before I was allowed to go home," she said.
"I've had two follow up MRI scans and after my next one they will start doing them every six months, so I'm still being monitored but everything has been positive since," she added.
The surgeon, Dr Erminia Albanese, added: "It was important we had our interpreter, Ben, with us during the operation.
"He would say a word in English and Moli had to reply in Welsh to ensure she could speak both Welsh and English after the tumour was removed.
"It was amazing to see Moli and her Mum, her recovery has been incredible, and it's great to see her doing well after the surgery."
The most common symptoms of a brain tumour
More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year — of which around half are cancerous — with 5,300 losing their lives.
The disease is the most deadly cancer in children and adults aged under 40, according to the Brain Tumour Charity.
Brain tumours reduce life expectancies by an average of 27 years, with just 12 per cent of adults surviving five years after diagnosis.
There are two main types, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and being less likely to return after treatment.
Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return.
Brain tumours can cause headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and memory problems, according to the NHS.
They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision.
The nine most common symptoms are:
Headaches
Seizures
Feeling sick
Being sick
Memory problems
Change in personality
Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
Vision problems
Speech problems
If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP.
Source: NHS
Moli and her mum, Carol, have now presented a cheque for £345 to Ward 228. and members of the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Charity team.
It was all was raised through a carol singing night organised by The Wales Federation of Young Farmers.
Carol said: "It's so nice to be back here to see and thank everyone for their care.
"We have lots of memories of being here and our outcome has been very good."
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