Hi everyone, my name is Eleica Hines

I would like to inform you that I’m embarking on a challenge to walk from Nottingham to Paris towards the end of September 2024. I’m going to be raising money for brain tumour research as well as create awareness. This cause is personal to myself and will also be in the memory of my friend Erin Kiggins who sadly passed away suddenly from a brain tumour at only 15 on the 16th of January 2021. Erin was a very active and outgoing person; she had a great sense of humour with ambitions for her future. Erin had her whole life ahead of her and without warning, no signs or symptoms of a brain tumour had finished a zoom call during the pandemic, didn't feel well and started to have a seizure, a ambulance was called. Erin had fallen unconscious and devastatingly never woke up. I can’t imagine the pain her family and friends went through; this is something that no one should have to experience. It makes me reflect and remind myself how lucky I am to be alive because not everyone survives a brain tumour.

My story

In 2008 I was diagnosed with a brain tumour at a very young age of 4. However, this went undetected for a long period of time which made me very ill. Before I was born there was a mention of a shadow in my head when they did the ultrasound and at the time they believed that there could be a chance of me being born with down syndrome, but no further tests were done because they said it can heighten the chance of a miscarriage. When I was born this wasn’t the case and I was marked down as healthy.

At the age of 3 almost going on 4 I was experiencing dizziness, vomiting every time I ate, weight loss, change in behaviour, severe headaches, loss of balance/ coordination as well as change in vision (which caused my left eye to turn inwards). When my vision became noticeably worse, I was prescribed glasses and had to where a patch over one of my eyes during certain parts of the day. However, this turned out not to be the answer and the brain tumour still went unnoticed. On countless occasions I was taken to the doctors and just given Calpol. Nothing changed in how I was the symptoms worsened, but there was no recommendation to seek any other medical advice. Due to frustration my dad took me to the hospital. After being seen and scans/ tests being conducted the doctors were shocked how I was still playing and getting on with things in the waiting room when they were telling the news to my dad, they said due the seriousness of the brain tumour I shouldn’t be like that. It was then at the age of 4 I was diagnosed by Dr MacArthur with a brain tumour at a severe development and was hospitalised immediately due to the severity. There was a discussion that due to the size and my age that I could have been born with it and went undiagnosed and therefore developed unknowingly. It was 3 days later I had the tumour removed and fortunately it could be removed all in one go, I had a VP shunt put in to drain the fluid from my brain into my stomach which I have for life. There were many ups and downs in my time in hospital which totalled to 1 month and there were many children who wasn’t as fortunate as myself on the unit/ward.

After the tumour was removed, I lost the ability to walk for a period of time and conduct basic tasks like getting dressed, eating, going to the toilet and even picking things up. This was because the tumour damaged the right side of my brain which in turn effected the left side of my body. Today I still struggle with fine motor skills but have come a long way and I don’t let it hold me back. I’m also dyslexic and the assessor said that this could possibly have been down to the brain tumour but isn’t certain because there’s no records to look back on in my development within that area.

It would be great if people can share and promote awareness of my walk to Paris and donate whatever amount they can afford and want to, so together we can raise as much money as possible for brain tumour research. Please don’t let the target I set restrict how much we can raise because the more money we can raise the more research and lives can be saved. The money will help in conducting further research investigations to understand brain tumours more, treatments available, find cures for all types of brain tumours and increase the survival rate. One thing that plays on my mind is why did I have so many signs and symptoms, but Erin didn’t show any but tragically lost her life?

This adventure is going to be very difficult and painful, but it is nowhere near as painful as those living with a brain tumour, who’ve had a brain tumour and the family and friends who have lost loved ones to this. This walk is for all those that have been affected, still are which includes a family member who’s had a similar experience but is still struggling to this day and in the memory of someone I knew, Erin Kiggins.

Additional information

I have an Instagram account under eleicahines_lifeadventures

https://www.instagram.com/eleicahines_lifeadventures/

This is where I’ll post pictures, videos a long the way, information about brain tumours as well as training I do to prepare.

Show your support and thank you in advance, let’s go!