Brain tumour treatment inspires Jennifer to pursue career in psychology

After collapsing on the high street in Southport holding her baby son, 26 year old Jennifer Dorian was told she had a small brain tumour near her occipital lobe.

After being referred to The Walton Centre, scans revealed that the tumour was pressing on her optic nerve, impacting her sight and causing seizures.

Jennifer said: “It was really frustrating! I thought it was a complication from having sepsis previously. I got to the point where I was using a walking stick, and it was then that I collapsed. The ITU in Southport was great, but when they found something in the scans, a referral to The Walton Centre was needed.”

Jennifer underwent complex brain surgery in November 2020, she continued: “I surprised everyone by how upbeat I was about it. I was just glad they knew what it was and that it could be treated. It only hit home afterwards that I had actually been through serious brain surgery.

“The clinical teams that looked after me were so friendly and reassuring, by far the best experience in hospital I’ve had. They were fantastic in supporting my recovery and I was determined to walk out of there – exactly like how I walked in!”

In order to access the tumour, Jennifer had to have sections of skull removed and later replaced by titanium plating. Further scans post-op confirmed that the whole tumour had been removed.

“I was so happy!” Jennifer said: “obviously it’s still being monitored, but they fact that my surgeon got it all was amazing. They later found that the tumour would’ve begun to spread had it not been removed.”

After her experience at The Walton Centre, Jennifer became fascinated with psychology and how the brain works. In September 2021, she started an MA in Psychology with University of Central Lancashire.

Jennifer said: “I just wanted to know more about how the brain works, how it can change and how that can influence behaviour and other aspects of the psychology of a person, especially after intervention and traumatic events. I also wanted to use my experience of being a brain tumour patient to better myself – which it definitely is so far.

“I want to carry on learning and growing and hopefully go into research and secure a doctorate!”

-Ends-

Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange a visit contact the Communications Team on wcf-tr.waltoncentre.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

 

• The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission twice. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its first rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016. The second was announced Monday 19 August 2019 after inspections in March and April 2019.
• For more information please visit: http://www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk/

 

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611