I thought I was just menopausal – in fact I had a brain tumour,
A mother-of-one who dismissed her forgetfulness as a menopause symptom was devastated to be told she had an inoperable brain tumour.
April Tate, 52, from Burntisland in Fife, first became concerned in 2018 when she forgot a child’s name while working as a childminder.
Believing it was hormonal, she mentioned it during a routine GP phone call—only to be asked to attend the surgery immediately.
A scan at her local hospital revealed a mass deep in the centre of her brain.
Doctors diagnosed her with a posterior falcine meningioma—a low-grade tumour in a location too dangerous for surgery.
April, a single parent to daughter Abby, was placed on ‘watch and wait,’ with regular scans every six months. The tumour initially grew slowly, but in late 2022, it began to increase in size.
Still under 30mm, it qualified for stereotactic radiotherapy — a targeted form of radiation that minimises damage to surrounding brain tissue.
April said: ‘When they said I had a brain tumour, my first thought was that I was going to die.
‘It was a numbing moment. I was a single mum, and my daughter Abby was still a teenager. All I could think about was not being there for her.’
‘Being self-employed meant taking time off for treatment brought financial pressure too, which just added to the stress.’
She added: ‘When the surgeon explained the tumour was located in a really difficult part of my brain and he’d only attempted surgery in that area once before, it was hard to accept.’
Instead, April was placed on a programme of regular scans.
She said: ‘It was terrifying to live with the unknown of whether it would grow or not. Over time, I began to adjust.
‘The tumour was slow-growing, and for a while, it didn’t change much.’
But in late 2022, the tumour had grown. It was still under 30mm, meaning April qualified for stereotactic radiotherapy. The treatment, though precise, took its toll.
‘The radiotherapy itself was fairly quick each day, but it was exhausting,’ she said.
‘The team had to make a custom mask to keep my head completely still, which felt claustrophobic and intense.
‘I just closed my eyes, listened to music and tried to stay calm. The hardest part came afterwards, with having to wait to find out if it had worked.’
To her relief, the tumour had shrunk. Follow-up scans have shown further reduction, and April now has annual monitoring.
She has since returned to work and even completed her first 5k run earlier this year.
Meningiomas are the most common type of brain tumour, accounting for around a third of all cases.
They form in the meninges—the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord—and are usually slow-growing and benign.
However, their location can make them dangerous. A posterior falcine meningioma develops near the falx cerebri, a narrow fold of tissue between the two hemispheres of the brain.
Tumours in this region are deep-seated and often close to critical structures, such as major blood vessels, making surgery extremely risky or impossible.
Symptoms depend on the tumour’s size and location but can include headaches, vision problems, memory loss, or changes in behaviour.
Many patients, like April, initially dismiss early warning signs as stress, ageing, or hormonal changes.
Treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, or ‘watch and wait’ monitoring.
Also known as active surveillance, this approach is often used for slow-growing brain tumours that aren’t causing serious symptoms.
Rather than rushing into surgery or radiotherapy, doctors monitor the tumour with regular MRI scans—typically every six to 12 months—to track its growth.
This strategy is considered safe when the tumour is low-grade (non-cancerous), small in size, and not located near areas of the brain that control critical functions.
It helps avoid the risks of invasive treatment unless absolutely necessary.
However, the psychological toll can be significant. Patients live with the knowledge that the tumour is still there, and if it starts to grow or cause problems, they may need treatment such as surgery or radiotherapy later on.
In April’s case, her tumour’s position meant surgery was ruled out — but she was able to undergo stereotactic radiotherapy, a targeted form of treatment that can shrink tumours while sparing surrounding healthy brain tissue.
Determined to make a difference, April is taking on the 88 Squats a Day in July challenge, supporting Brain Tumour Research.
The challenge aims to raise £2,740—the amount needed to fund a single day of research at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, in collaboration with Beatson Cancer Charity.
She is raising the cash via the website JustGiving.
April said: ‘People hear the words “benign” or “low-grade” and assume it’s nothing serious, but I still live with this every day.
‘There’s something in my brain that shouldn’t be there, and it could change at any time.
‘I even worried about how it might affect new relationships and not wanting to burden someone else with what I was going through. But we still deserve to live fully, and to love and be loved.
‘What shocks me most is how little funding goes into researching brain tumours. That has to change.’
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: ‘April’s story is a powerful reminder that brain tumours can be easily missed or mistaken for everyday health issues.
‘Her strength in facing such a frightening diagnosis, and her commitment to raising awareness, is incredibly inspiring.’
