As someone with Hydrocephalus, Shine is a charity very close to my heart.

In December 2000 I was 8 years old. I had a sick bug and I went to bed as normal. But this was when the crisis started.

The next day I didn't wake up. The alarm was raised and an ambulance was called.

I was rushed to Bath Hospital for a CT scan and it was immediately clear that this was a critical emergency. I had a brain tumour which was blocking my cerebral spinal fluid from draining as normal, leading to a build-up of pressure. This is called Hydrocephalus, "water-on-the-brain".

I was rushed with a police escort to the Frenchay in Bristol where I immediately underwent surgery to remove the blockage and relieve the pressure on my brain. This resolved the immediate crisis and I spent 2 weeks in hospital over Christmas recovering but ultimately I needed additional surgery to fit a shunt, a plastic tube which drains the fluid from the brain to the stomach. This was successful and my shunt has stayed in place ever since, uncoiling in my stomach as I grew.

Shine supported myself and my family as I underwent my recovery. They even came to my school and talked the teachers through what to look out for as signs of any potential issues.

I've been extremely lucky and lived a normal life since then but many people who experience Hydrocephalus are not as lucky as me.

Shine provides specialist support from before birth and throughout the life of anyone living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, as well as to parents, families, carers and professional care staff. Shine enables people with both Hydrocephalus and Spinal Bifida to get the best out of life.

Thank you for supporting me and the whole team at Shine!