3 hours Ago By Katrina Turrill
A MUM who suffered from a severe headache was told by her doctor it was a migraine – but two weeks later she died.Nicolette Richardson, 41, put her headache down to her physically demanding job as an osteopath.SWNSNicolette Richardson thought her headache was down to her physically demanding job[/caption]SWNSAn MRI scan revealed the mum-of-one had a stage 4 glioblastoma brain tumour[/caption]On November 17, 2020, she visited her GP who told her she was suffering from a migraine.
She was told to go to A&E if her migraine didn’t improve with painkillers within the day.Just hours later, an MRI at Charing Cross Hospital confirmed she was suffering from a stage four glioblastoma brain tumour.Nicolette needed emergency surgery on November 23 to remove as much of the tumour as possible, but devastatingly she was left with paralysis and blindness.
The mum-of-one died on November 30, 2020, after being placed into a coma after her surgery.Her partner, osteopath business owner, Austen Ham-Howes, 45, from Twickenham, southwest London, said: “One minute, we were viewing houses where we planned to build a future together – the next, Nicolette was taken ill.“Suddenly, I was thrust into a world where the mother of my child was fighting for her life.
”Nicolette – who was mum to eight-year-old Isabella – first developed a sudden pain in her head on November 16, 2020.She visited her GP the next day, who told her it was a migraine, and she put it down to the stress and physical demands of her osteopath business.But Nicolette was advised to go to Charing Cross Hospital if her headache didn’t improve with painkillers – so she went later that day.
After an MRI, Nicolette was diagnosed with a stage four glioblastoma brain tumour – the most aggressive form of brain cancer.Six days later, she had emergency surgery – which left her with catastrophic injuries including paralysis on the left side of her body, blindness in one eye and partial sight loss in the other.“I was just so angry and confused,” Austen said.
“Nicolette had zero symptoms, yet our whole lives were turned upside down in just weeks and we were cheated of the chance to have a fair fight against this disease.“I know it was wrong, but I felt so jealous of people who had time to come to terms with this devastating disease.“For us, it felt as quick as ripping off a plaster.
”Nicolette had zero symptoms, yet our whole lives were turned upside down in just weeks and we were cheated of the chance to have a fair fight against this diseaseAusten Ham-HowesDoctors placed Nicolette into a coma after her surgery – but she never recovered, and she was taken off life support on November 30, 2020.Five years on, Austen and Isabella have been fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, in memory of Nicolette.Austen has been donating £2 from every treatment carried out at Richmond Osteopaths, Nicolette’s business, during Brain Tumour Awareness Month, which is this month.
Austen says he and Isabella are now trying to “live with positivity” and honour Nicolette every day.He added: “Isabella is Nicolette’s mini-me and she is now eight years old.“We have both supported each other to get to where we are today.
SWNSHer partner Austen said one minute they were viewing houses where they planned to build a future together, the next, Nicolette was taken ill[/caption]SWNSAusten said their daughter Isabella is Nicolette’s mini-me[/caption]SWNSFive years on, Austen and Isabella have been fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, in memory of Nicolette[/caption]“We try to live with positivity, and we try to honour her mum every single day.“I’d love for there to one day be a cure for all types of brain tumours so that no-one has to experience what we went through.”Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Nicolette’s story is incredibly moving and we’re grateful to Austen for sharing it with us.
“It’s a stark reminder that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age yet just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.“It’s only by working together that we can change this.“We fully support Austen’s fundraising and would like to thank him and the team at Richmond Osteopaths for their support.
”The most common symptoms of a brain tumourMore 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:HeadachesSeizuresFeeling sickBeing sickMemory problemsChange in personalityWeakness or paralysis on one side of the bodyVision problemsSpeech problemsIf 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.
