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Reporter’s life saved after writer’s block led to tumour find

Sharon HarrisA weekly journalist’s life was saved after her struggle to write up a routine story led to a tumour being discovered.

Sharon Harris, left, a reporter at the Barry & District News, in South Wales, lost the ability to “string a sentence together” while writing a story about a local entrepreneur’s appearance on BBC TV show Dragons’ Den.

The intro to the story refused to flow and she heard a continuous alarm clock noise while writing up the piece up after watching the programme, which sees business owners seek investment for their companies.

The morning after, Sharon heard three overlapping voices in the head and was urged to go to hospital. A CT scan found a white mass in her brain, diagnosed as being “most likely cancerous.”

Sharon says she feared the worst after visiting the hospital but now jokes:  “Watching Dragon’s Den saved my life.”

She said: “All kinds of things went through my mind – was I going to drop dead any moment? Where did I put my bank details so my dad would be able to find them?

“There was a doughnut peach on the kitchen worktop – it was going to decay, flies would swarm out of the door, the neighbours would think I’d died. Emergency services would kick the door in – the trouble I would cause.

“There were unspent points on my Boots Advantage and Tesco card – what was I going to do with them? I’d not got married and had children, these are the things that entered my tumour-filled brain. I planned my funeral. I toold people my songs.”

A later MRI scan showed a 31mm growth which had pressed on the brain resulting in the dysphasia which was affecting communication skills.

Sharon, 45, added: “It was the best tumour that you could possibly have if you’re going to have one. In retrospect, the signs were there.

“I’d had a seizure in April – put down to stress – and had left side twitches, a slight limp, and feint ringing in the left ear. I’d put it down to getting older.”

Following two cancellations, the tumour was removed and the biopsy revealed it was non-cancerous.

Sharon now hopes to raise funds for three charities close to her – the Brain Tumour Charity, The Pituitary Foundation and Above & Beyond.

She said: ““I got lucky, but sadly others have less luck.

“I hope to take part in the 100th Vierdaagse marching event in Nijmegen, in July – an event I completed successfully last year before being diagnosed.

“I will also endeavour to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats in September and run the Cardiff Half Marathon in October.”

4 comments

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  • March 10, 2016 at 9:12 am
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    “Watching Dragon’s Den saved my life.”

    That’s a great line, and a great story. Good luck Sharon in your recovery.

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  • March 10, 2016 at 9:34 am
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    A nice, uplifting story among the usual doom and gloom. All the very best to Sharon.

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  • March 10, 2016 at 9:50 am
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    Brilliantly put – all the very best to you Sharon!

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