11-Year-Old Girl Experienced Headaches & Vomiting After Riding Rollercoaster. It Turned Out To Be a Brain Tumor— Understanding Medulloblastoma

Her mom, 54-year-old Tina Smith, has since become determined to raise awareness and funds for Brain Tumor Research, a U.K.-based charity.

Speaking to SWNS in a recent interview, as per The Mirror, Tina revealed she’s grateful for the shocking incident as it led doctors to find a grade 4 tumor.

In hopes of helping others be aware of symptoms and get checked sooner than later, Smith is set to run a charity marathon and told SWNS, “There’s a difference between getting thrown around a bit for fun and having your head ricochet so hard you don’t feel right after.

“Connie and I didn’t go on those rides again, but her dad and brother did. It was two days later that she started being sick, which seems too much of a coincidence for the two things not to be related.”

She explained further, “I suspect the rides dislodged her tumor and, if that’s the case, I’m glad because I was told we found it at a good time before it spread to her spine.”

As for Campbell, who is from South Woodford, East London, and had to miss a year of school amid treatment, she was diagnosed with grade 4 medulloblastoma in September 2022.

She underwent surgery, followed by a phase 3 clinical trial for high-risk medulloblastoma patients. She also had induction chemotherapy, 30 sessions of radiotherapy and a six-month course of maintenance chemo, according to Brain Tumor Research.

As of December 2022, her followup scans were clear, but she lives with the chance of the tumor coming back.

The type of brain tumor she battled is a medulloblastoma, which is a rare primary central nervous system tumor, the National Cancer Institute explains. This type of brain tumor is cancerous and grows quickly, making it more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

Common symptoms for this type of tumor may include:

• Difficulty walking or balancing
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Difficulty with vision
• Seizures

When Campbell’s symptoms began, her mom recounted to Brain Tumor Research, “She was just starting secondary school so she made every effort to attend but she’d get up in the mornings, throw up and complain that her head hurt.”

She explained further, “By the afternoons, she’d feel fine. I took her to the doctor but it was suggested she was suffering from migraines. We were told to come back if her symptoms persisted, but I get migraines so didn’t believe that’s what she had. A few days later Connie had another bad turn. I wanted to take her to A&E [hospital] but I was worried if her symptoms settled, as they normally do, they would also send me away.

“Instead, I rang the NHS 111 helpline. They asked for permission to speak to our GP who called us in to check Connie over and then referred us to the paediatric department at Whipps Cross University Hospital, in East London. The referral didn’t come through straight away so I phoned to chase it, which resulted in her getting booked in the following day.”

Once they arrived at the hospital, Campbell underwent a CT scan which revealed she had a tumor. Her story is a perfect reminder on the importance of pushing for answers when it comes to your health.

Understanding Brain Tumors & Treatment Options For Brain Cancer

Brain tumors can impact a person’s brain function and overall health — but how much depends on their size, type, and location within the brain. Tumors that grow big enough and disrupt normal central nervous system functioning can press on nearby nerves, blood vessels, or other tissues. The disrupted central nervous system can present in various ways, making walking or maintaining balance difficult.

Brain tumors may be benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous). There are various types of brain tumors, with gliomas being the most common cancerous type of aggressive primary brain tumors.

What is a Glioma: Understanding Types & Standard of Care

Treatment options for brain cancer depend on a variety of factors, including the size and type of the tumor as well as the grade of the tumor.

RELATED: Understanding the Treatment Path for Glioma Patients

Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are options doctors use to treat brain tumors. Cancer warriors are encouraged to talk to their doctor about their situation and the best treatment options.

The prognosis for brain cancer, or how likely it is to be cured, depends on a few things:

• The type of brain tumor
• How fast the brain tumor is growing
• The tumor’s location
• If there are DNA changes in the cells of the brain tumor
• If the entire tumor can be removed with surgery
• A patient’s overall health

Molecular Testing for IDH Inhibitors in Glioma Patients

The Grading System of Gliomas

Gliomas, a common type of brain tumor, are graded on a scale of I to IV, with higher grades indicating a more aggressive tumor. This grading is based on several factors including the type of glioma, the genetics of the cancer, as well as the appearance of the tumor cells under a microscope. The more abnormal the cells look, the higher the grade, and the faster the tumor is likely to grow and spread. Here’s a quick overview:

• Grade I-II gliomas – These are considered low-grade and tend to grow slowly. “The grade one is a very indolent, benign tumor that basically can be cured with surgery alone,” Dr. Henry Friedman, Deputy Director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, told SurvivorNet.
• Grade III gliomas – These are considered high-grade and tend to grow more rapidly. Grade III gliomas are typically classified as malignant and typically require more aggressive treatment which can include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
• Grade IV gliomas – These are the most aggressive gliomas which are locally aggressive and require treatment intensification. Glioblastomas are the most common grade IV glioma, “which is by far the most well known and most feared tumor in the lay population and quite frankly, the medical population as well,” Dr. Friedman shared.

Although Grade IV gliomas are the most aggressive glioma and may require several types of treatment including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, there can be challenges in treating low grade gliomas as well. When making decisions on treatment, several factors are taken into consideration including location of the tumor, ease of surgery and ability to resect, neurologic deficits, patient age, tumor size, and overall health.

Why Some Gliomas Return After Surgery or Radiation Therapy

Types of Cancerous and Non-Cancerous Brain Tumors

A brain tumor can affect you differently depending on its location and if it is cancerous. Some brain tumors are non-cancerous (or benign). According to the National Cancer Institute, some examples of these types of brain tumors include:

• Chordomas are primarily benign and slow-growing and are often found near the tailbone or where the spine meets the skull.
• Craniopharyngiomas are rare, slow-growing tumors that don’t spread to other parts of the brain or body. They form near the pituitary gland near the base of the brain.
• Gangliocytomas are rare tumors of the central nervous system that tend to form on the temporal lobe (the left or right side of the brain).
• Glomus jugulare are rare and slow-growing tumors.
• Meningiomas are rare brain tumors that usually form on the outer layer of tissue that covers the brain (dura mater).
• Pineocytomas are rare and slow-growing tumors located in the pineal gland near the middle of the brain.
• Pituitary adenomas are slow-growing brain tumors of the anterior pituitary located in the lower part of the brain.
• Schwannomas are rare tumors that grow on the cells that protect nerve cells. They are called Schwann cells.
• Acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannoma) are slow-growing tumors that develop from the nerves that help balance and hearing.

Other brain tumors are malignant or cancerous. These kinds of tumors include:

• Gliomas are the most common form of cancerous and aggressive primary brain tumors.
• Astrocytoma (glioma) forms in astrocytes (star-shaped cells). Depending on how aggressive or fast they grow and impact brain tissue, these tumors are classified into four grades.
• Ependymomas are tumors classified into three grades depending on how aggressive or fast they grow.
• Oligodendroglioma tumors are classified into grades depending on their growth speed. Grade 2 oligodendroglioma tumors are slow-growing and can invade nearby tissue, but they may not present symptoms for many years before detection. Meanwhile, grade 3 oligodendroglioma tumors proliferate.
• Medulloblastoma tumors are classified into four different grades depending on their aggressive nature or how quickly they grow.
• Glioblastoma, which is considered a central nervous system (CNS) tumor, is the most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults.

Stepping Up as a Caregiver & Learning How to Ask for Help

A caregiver can be a partner, parent, child, friend, or neighbor. But it should be someone who is willing to put in the time and effort to understand the diagnosis, and follow the medical team’s recommendations.

“I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations — what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.,” Dr. Jayanthi Lea previously told SurvivorNet.

“The work is extremely hard.”

How to Be a Better Caregiver for Your Loved One

Caregivers should be willing to share what they’ve learned while caring for their loved one day to day, letting the doctor know about any side effects or other problems that arise.

They also need to be willing to take a backseat sometimes. “Step back a little bit and let the patient speak for themselves. Let them express what they are feeling,” said Dr. Lea. “That is so important for the patient’s overall quality of life and well-being.”

With the role of caregiver, the first thing to understand is that there is no shame is asking for help. This can be an overwhelming time for both patients and their caregivers, too.

‘A Sacred And Blessed Calling’: Managing Life As a Caregiver

Through interviews with expert advisors, social workers, patients advocates, and more, we’ve come up with a checklist of helpful steps caregivers can take throughout the journey

Here is a list of duties that caregivers help take on:

• Attend doctor visits with the patient
• Help the patient take notes/ask questions
• Provide transportation to and from treatment
• Accompany the patient during treatment
• Help keep track of side effects
• Link up with a social worker/patient navigator
• Help with day-to-day activities
• Provide emotional support

Social Workers/Patient Navigators Can Help

Social workers or patient advocates can be a huge help for caregivers.

As a caregiver, you may want to enlist the help of one of these employees who often work for medical centers for guidance on treatment options, financial assistance, where to seek mental health resources, and so much more.

Patrick Dempsey’s Critical Advice for Caregivers: ‘Take Care of Yourself’

“Patient navigators can function differently at different hospitals,” Dr. Kathie-Ann Joseph, a surgical oncologist at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet.

“We have a really wonderful program at [NYU] where we used lay navigators meaning they’re not nurses, although you can use nurses or social workers that pretty much help newly diagnosed cancer patients through the continuum of care.”

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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