'I thought my face droop was due to an infection - the real cause is shattering'
A children's nurse has been given a devastating diagnosis after thinking her facial droop was caused by an infection.
Louise Trott knew something was wrong when her face started to "droop" to one side but blamed an infection. However she was sent for tests at hospital last October, and scans revealed the 29-year-old from Huyton, Merseyside, had a Grade 3 astrocytoma brain tumour.
The paediatric nurse at Alder Hey Hospital was told that surgery was not possible due to the location of the tumour. Instead she underwent radiotherapy and is now on a year's course of chemotherapy. Louise, who has unable to work, has six months left of treatment before it ends - the NHS cannot offer further treatment so a fundraising page has been set up to help the nurse for potential treatment options but also payments while she is out of work.
Close friend Lauren Windsor told the Liverpool Echo: "She didn't have many symptoms but a few days before she was diagnosed it started with a facial droop to one side. She was diagnosed there and then and had further investigations to confirm it was grade three but then they said because of the location it was impossible to remove."
Louise has been a nurse for more than eight years, helping poorly children and families with brain tumours. She added: "She's been told that once her chemotherapy course is finished they can't offer anymore treatment on the NHS other than to monitor her and make sure it doesn't grow. So we are trying to raise as much as we can so it's there if she needs to seek alternative treatment. There's a very slim chance the chemo will shrink it completely but she's out of work. The scan she had after radiotherapy showed it hadn't grown but it didn't shrink either.
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"She's worked at Alder Hey for eight years and she's unable to work now so we want to help her as much as we can. Me, her and Natalie are best friends, but Louise is just the best. She's the bravest person I know, she's so strong and is doing really well. She's been so positive throughout even though her whole family have been through hell together.
"Her dad passed away from a brain tumour and her brother-in-law has also been diagnosed with a tumour, they've been through so much but they are amazing. And she's an incredible nurse. Everyone she meets says the same, she's brilliant. Everyone loves her and she's always putting a smile on your face, she's the life and soul and such a positive person."
Anyone wishing to donate to the fundraiser can do so by clicking here. A charity event will also be held in Crosby on November 10 as Lauren and Natalie Brooker are appealing for any donations they can raffle off as prizes. Anyone who can help in any way can email [email protected].
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