Ashfield teen steps-up to support former Mansfield six-year-old with brain tumour

Ruth Lamb, 15, is taking part in a ‘Walk of Hope’ in support of Chloe Askew, who was found to have an ependymoma brain tumour when she was just two.

Ruth is taking part in the 5,000-step fundraiser around Sherwood Forest, part of UK wide events, raising money for the charity Brain Tumour Research on Saturday, September 25.

Chloe will also do her own walk, near her home in Lincoln, with the help of mum Theresa Cotterell and her trike.

Ruth, said: “I wanted to help Chloe, I've seen what she and her family have to go through, but I also wanted to raise awareness about brain tumours.”

In November 2017, Chloe began losing her balance, stooping her head and was very tired. She also regularly woke up at night being sick.

Chloe’s mum said: “One morning she couldn’t walk, we rushed her to hospital. We said Chloe’s symptoms were those of a brain tumour but the doctor said it couldn’t be, because she could lift her arms. The next day, she had an MRI scan revealing Chloe had a brain tumour the size of a tangerine.”

At the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) Nottingham, an external ventricular device (EVD) was fitted to drain excess fluid on her brain. Three days later, she had a successful operation to remove the tumour.

In December 2017, Chloe flew with her family to America, to undergo 33 rounds, over six weeks, of proton beam therapy.

Theresa, who is 40, and stopped her work caring for adults with autism to care for Chloe, said: “Chloe ended up on life-support because she had dysphagia, losing the ability to swallow.

"She also had arachnoiditis, a pain disorder cause by inflammation of the membrane around the spinal cord. She needed a tracheotomy – a tube in her windpipe so she could breathe.

“It’s shocking how little funding is given to researching brain tumours. There’s a huge need for research and education. Ruth is an incredible young girl. I’m astounded by her and her caring attitude.”

Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Chloe’s powerful story reminds us that brains tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any time.”

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