'My stress headaches turned out to be a fast-growing brain tumour'

Laura Hampson
Updated ·4 min read
Amy Wareham was diagnosed with a brain tumour after experiencing stress headaches. (SWNS)
Amy Wareham was diagnosed with a brain tumour after experiencing stress headaches. (SWNS)

A woman who thought her headaches were due to stress from her job only found out they were being caused by a fast-growing brain tumour after suffering from a seizure.

Amy Wareham, 47, says the only symptoms she experienced were the occasional headaches until she had a sudden seizure on a trip to New York City in May last year.

She was taken to New York Presbyterian hospital and given a CT scan and MRI which showed she had two lesions on her brain.

Further scans revealed Wareham had a glioblastoma multiforme – a fast growing tumour – and underwent emergency neurosurgery on June 12 2023.

The lawyer, who works in asset management in the City of London, has since undergone radiotherapy and is coming to the end of her chemotherapy.

"At the moment, I am relatively very well. I have come a long way since my first and last seizure in May last year," she explains.

"Then, I was very scared and had a whirlwind of appointments and scans. Now, things have calmed down and I am taking it day by day.

"My last MRI was stable. Aside from quarterly MRI scans, I have Avastin infusions fortnightly and chemotherapy monthly. The chemotherapy thankfully is oral and I have been tolerating it well."

Wareham was diagnosed with glioblastoma, and invasive brain tumour and one Wareham had ‘never heard of’ before she was diagnosed.

"It is an understatement to say I was shocked at being told I have glioblastoma grade 4, and that it has an average 12 to 18 month prognosis," she adds.

Wareham with her family. (SWNS)
Wareham with her family. (SWNS)

"I was very surprised that I hadn't heard of it, it being the biggest cancer killer of under 40-year-olds, including children, and tenth biggest overall cancer killer.

"That’s why I set up my own Fund with The Brain Tumour Charity. I immediately knew that I needed to raise money and awareness."

The Brain Tumour Charity has awarded a £1.5million 'Quest for Cures' grant to fund research that aims to improve treatment for glioblastoma – the type of tumour Wareham has, and one that currently doesn’t have a cure.

After being diagnosed last year, Wareham married her now-husband in August 2023 and, in lieu of gifts, the pair asked for donations to The Brain Tumour Charity.

She also set up a support group called The Amy Wareham Fund, which has raised £90,000 for research into high grade brain tumours.

"I have been awed and amazed at the very generous support from my family, friends and professional network," Wareham says.

"I have organised a charity dinner and auction which several law firms came to from London, Luxembourg and Ireland. A lawyer dedicated her Ironman to raising awareness and funds, my work team raised funds doing a walking marathon and my neighbour's children organised a cake sale. I have three people running half marathons or marathons for me. People have been so kind."

After coming to terms with her diagnosis, Wareham was shocked to learn the limited treatment options available for her.

"When I discovered the dire lack of funding for research into brain tumours I was appalled,” she says. "Research into more effective treatments is so urgently needed."

Dr Simon Newman, Chief Scientific Officer at The Brain Tumour Charity said: "Finding new ways to treat glioblastoma is essential if we are to accelerate a cure for this devastating disease.

"We know that brain tumour treatment is difficult because drugs often cannot get into the brain to target the tumour cells.

"So, by using new and innovative approaches to ensure that treatments reach the brain we are getting closer to finding more effective treatments."

Additional reporting by SWNS.

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