Woman who ‘thought she was drunk’ after stumbling on night out diagnosed with fatal disease
Woman who 'thought she was drunk' after stumbling on a night out has tragically been diagnosed with a fatal disease.
Jade Collett was just 22 when she was enjoying an evening with friends and started experiencing strange symptoms in her right foot.
The now 32-year-old says she noticed it had turned slightly outwards and gone completely numb, forcing the mum-of-one to be carried home due to the pain.
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Jade, who is unable to work due to her tumour, recalled: "I was on a night out with my friends then all of a sudden my foot started to turn outwards a little bit.
"I had hip dysplasia during my pregnancy so thought it was something to do with that or I'd twinged a nerve.
"Everyone thought it was a pinched nerve. It didn't cross my mind that it could be something sinister.
"When we walked into town, it was hurting but a few hours in I couldn't even put my foot on the ground it was hurting that much. I had to be carried home."
Despite her friends laughing her ailment off as 'being too drunk', Jade grew more concerned when her symptoms persisted the following day.
"But the next day I still couldn't put my foot on the ground and it felt really numb," she added.
Jade, who lives in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, later visited her GP who sent her for an MRI scan which revealed that she had a brain tumour in her motor cortex, which was affecting mobility in her foot, and she had just two years to live.
Recounting the moment she was delivered the life-shattering news, Jade explained: "I just froze. I didn't even talk or cry. I was just sitting in the car silent thinking, 'What is going on?'"
Devastated, Jade began planning her own funeral and preparing herself to say goodbye to her one-year-old daughter Grace.
"I remember balling my eyes out crying saying 'I'm going to die'. Grace wasn't even one yet.
"They told me the fact my foot turned outwards was really lucky because not that many people get that symptom. And I didn't have any other symptoms."
A biopsy confirmed that Jade had Grade 4 Glioblastoma - the most aggressive type of cancer which originates in the brain.
"The only thing I thought about was Grace," the mum continued. "I asked how long I had and he told me two years max.
"They said it's inoperable because if they attempted to remove it, I would be disabled.
"They would give me treatment but it was just to keep me stable and prolong my life."
After undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Jade was 'waiting around to die' but continues to defy doctors' two-year prognosis.
Jade, whose foot still has the bend in it and is still numb, said: "I found it hard going past the second year because I felt like I was waiting around to die. I felt like I couldn't plan ahead and was in limbo.
"I've got a will and had a whole funeral planned, it's all ready. I never thought I'd have to plan my own funeral at 22.
"But I've always wanted to keep going for Grace. I feel so lucky and just thought I'm going to carry on with my life.
"Since having my treatment nine years ago, I haven't had any more treatment and I'm still here."
Nine years after her terminal cancer diagnosis, Jade is continuing to defy doctors' predictions who 'cannot explain' why her tumour remains the same size.
Now, Jade credits her unusual foot symptom for helping save her life by catching her hidden cancer early.
"Doctors have no idea what's going on and they've called me a miracle," she continued. "They have no answers and are gobsmacked I'm still here and so healthy.
"I'm just really grateful and feel so lucky. I think this happens to less than one per cent of people who last as long as me with this type of tumour.
"My foot definitely saved my life. I'm very glad my foot did this because I wouldn't have known otherwise.
"Every day I get I'm super grateful."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Rhiannon Ingle