New mum who thought she had 'baby brain' died from cancer months later
A mum died from cancer after thinking her dizziness was "baby brain" and then being told she had herpes.
Anneka Johnstone died at the tender age of 33, just a year after welcoming her daughter Sienna into the world.
Her husband Alan Johnstone, 38, said she was suffering with spells of dizziness but put it down to "baby brain" until she fell while holding Sienna, then six months old.
The new mum was rushed to hospital in June 2019, after she began dragging her feet, and the pair were told she had herpes simplex virus and she was given antibiotics, reports Stoke on Trent Live.
A week later the couple's world fell apart when Anneka was officially diagnosed with a glioblastoma grade IV - a malignant brain tumour - and she passed away just six months later in November 2019.
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Alan said meeting Anneka was love at first sight (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)
The couple had a daughter in 2018 (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)Alan met his "childhood sweetheart" when he was 18 and they later married in 2015.
She gave birth to their daughter, now four, in 2018.
Alan, a medical technician, from Dumfries, Scotland, said: "It hit us all like a tonne of bricks.
"Anneka wanted to see her daughter grow up. After being told the news, we drove back to tell the family.
"The first person Anneka saw when she walked through the door was Sienna - she collapsed.
"All she wanted was to be a mum, be there for Sienna's 18th and watch her get married."
The family's world fell apart when Anneka was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died six months later (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)Alan and Anneka met while she was 17 and Alan was 18, while he was on leave from the military, and said it was "love at first sight".
The couple got married in 2015 and later had Sienna in October 2018.
In the summer of 2019, Alan said Anneka was suffering with spells of dizziness.
The pair both put the symptom down to 'baby brain' until Anneka fell while holding her baby.
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Anneka was rushed to hospital in June 2019, and she was told she had herpes simplex virus and was given antibiotics.
Just a week later, following an MRI scan and a biopsy on the brain, she was then given the devastating news she actually had a glioblastoma - a malignant brain tumour.
The couple on their wedding day (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)
Alan was on leave from the military when the pair first met (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)Alan said: "It was sickening knowing the person she was and that there was nothing I could do.
"I could see the fear in her eyes, she was terrified - like anyone would be at 33 years old.
"Anneka was dealing with it well, but the family was not, we knew there was nothing we could do."
After being diagnosed, Anneka's health started to deteriorate, and she spent lots of her last few months in hospital.
The former dietician was moved to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and stayed in the palliative care unit.
Alan said: "We had a rota with the family so someone could spend 24 hours with her.
One day Anneka fell while holding her baby (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)
Alan said all she wanted to do was be a mum (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)"You could spend 24 hours with her but only get 30 seconds of the real Anneka."
Anneka passed away on November 18, 2019 - six months after being diagnosed.
Alan said: "It has been a tough road for me - going from a close-knit family to being single with a 13-month-old.
"Sienna gave me a totally different focus, she is my number one. I give her as much love as I can give her - she is the reason I get up in the morning."
This year, Alan will be running the London Marathon in memory of Anneka and to raise money for The Brain Tumour Organisation.
So far, he has raised £55k for the charity after walking 215 miles across Scotland in a week.
The mum initially thought she had baby brain (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)
She was later rushed to hospital and diagnosed with a brain tumour (Courtesy Alan Johnstone / SWNS)Alan said: "I am doing this for the next person who is diagnosed.
"What would help is a change in government funding and a change in how they invest in the brain tumour charities.
"Not enough money is being invested into it.
"My mum and Anneka's mum are going to bring Sienna down, they will be supporting me.
"Hopefully I will get to the end without many tears, raise as much money as possible and share Anneka's story.
"I will never forget the stamp she put on the world and hope there is loads of Annie in Sienna as she grows."
Alan has so far raised more than £2,000 on top of his £3,000 fundraising target on JustGiving.
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