Mum’s brain cancer symptoms dismissed as ‘stress’ by GP | UK | News
A woman claimed incompetent doctors chalked up her agonizing headaches to “stress caused by her children” – but it turned out the problem was in the brain cancer. Libby Woolaston’s health deteriorated so much that she went blind in one eye while waiting for a hospital appointment.
The 32-year-old patient began suffering from persistent headaches in the summer of 2024 and went to her GP surgery for help. He said three separate doctors ignored his concerns and that his symptoms were probably stress or hormone related. Libby claims a GP suggested her three children (10-year-old Miller, seven-year-old and four-year-old Forest Dax) might be to blame for causing her headaches.
He was eventually diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), a type of cancer that usually occurs in young children under the age of three.
Libby, who lives in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, with her partner Aiden, said: “For months I felt completely ignored, no one was listening to me.
“I knew something was wrong, but I was constantly told it was hormones, stress or depression. One doctor even asked me if I had children and said: ‘Don’t you think it’s just your children that give you headaches?’
“The pain became unbearable and I was taking painkiller after painkiller just to be able to work every day. I couldn’t be the mother I wanted to be and my quality of life was terrible.”
After her diagnosis, Libby underwent a four-hour surgery to remove a pituitary tumor from her nose.
He then underwent lumbar puncture, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Libby was told she was cancer-free in February this year.
He said: “I look at life very differently now. I’m grateful for every day I spend with my family. “I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through, so I’m urging people not to ignore their symptoms.
“Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to strive for answers; you deserve to be taken seriously.”
Since the all-clear, Libby now has scans every three months and her eyesight has returned.
Libby is not planning to take legal action but now plans to walk 200km to raise money for the charity Brain Tumor Research.
Community fundraising manager Letty Greenfield said: “Libby’s story highlights the devastating impact brain tumors can have, as well as the urgent need for greater awareness and investment in research.”
