A woman who lost her mum to a brain tumour is walking solo around the Isle of Wight for 24 hours to raise money for Brain Tumour Research and help find a cure for the deadly disease.
32-year-old Heidi Clevett, from Southsea, will walk around the Island’s coast this April in memory of her mother, Elaine Clevett, from Littlehampton in Sussex. Elaine died in December 2021, just 4 months after being diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
Family and friends first noticed the always chatty Elaine ‘acting strange’ and appearing quieter than usual during her granddaughter Ivy’s second birthday celebrations. After first thinking she may be exhausted, Elaine’s family kept a close eye on her. A week later and after no improvement in her behaviour, daughter Heidi and husband, Dave, took her to Worthing Hospital A&E.
A CT scan revealed Elaine had a tumour on her brain the size of an apple and would need an operation.
Mum-of-one Heidi, who works for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said:
“Mum kept forgetting where we were and the reason why; she was really confused. Hearing the diagnosis was a huge shock and made even harder because my mum couldn’t comprehend what was going on.”
Elaine was given a course of steroids to reduce the swelling on her brain, caused by a build-up of fluid. Her symptoms continued to worsen and she lost her short-term memory.
6 weeks after her symptoms first started, Elaine had a craniotomy at Brighton Hospital and was in surgery for 4 hours. Surgeons noticed the tumour had spread to both hemispheres of her brain.
Immediately after surgery, Elaine suffered a bleed on the brain which caused her to have a stroke and she was rushed back into theatre, where surgeons removed the remaining tumour, unavoidably taking with it many healthy cells.
After being in a coma for 5 days, tests showed Elaine was suffering from a condition called cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS), due to a lack of salt in her body. After 2 weeks of treatment for CSWS, she later woke up from her coma, still unaware of her diagnosis.
The family received confirmation of their worst fears that Elaine’s tumour was an aggressive GBM and she would need palliative care due to the level of damage on her brain. She was moved to Fulford Care and Nursing Home close to where she lived with her husband, Dave. Elaine died on 1st December 2021, having survived 15 days with no food or water.
Speaking of the challenge, Heidi said:
“What happened to my mum didn’t seem fair and I want to be able to put my mind to something positive.
“Research on this type of cancer is extremely difficult, in part due to only 25% of glioblastoma patients surviving more than one year. More research is desperately needed to understand this illness better – there is currently very little understanding of the disease, no understanding of the cause and minimal treatment options available to those afflicted.”
Mel Tiley, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said:
“We’re so sorry to hear that Elaine died, and so soon after her diagnosis too. We’re incredibly grateful to Heidi for choosing to fundraise in her memory. The family’s experience reminds us that research is desperately needed to help better understand brain tumours and ultimately, find a cure.”
To donate to Heidi’s fundraising challenge, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/heidi-clevett.
What a beautifull lady to of lost her life too soon to this terrible desease , may your walk around the Island bring you comfort and know that she is always with you always hun ❤