Student, 20, who was hours from death because of huge brain tumour is saved by ride on a ROLLERCOASTER
Tumour diagnosed when she was 12 - after it had grown to size of satsuma
She had been to Thorpe Park in Surrey the weekend before
Hanging upside down caused fluid on her brain to spread out, easing the pressure that could have killed her
Doctors thought surgery might leave her in a vegetative state
She had to relearn how to walk, talk and eat
By Emma Reynolds
A student who was hours from death after developing a gigantic brain tumour has made a miraculous recovery - thanks to a ride on a rollercoaster.
Emma Bassett, from Twickenham, London, was shocked when medics said she had survived the illness because a ride at Thorpe Park in Surrey had re-distributed fluid causing pressure on her skull.
Doctors found the tumour when Miss Bassett was 12. It had grown unnoticed over almost seven years, and was so advanced it was the size of a satsuma and on the brink of killing her.
Survivor: Emma Bassett was hours from death when she was diagnosed with a huge brain tumour at 12 - but has now made an incredible recovery
They warned the girl's devastated parents that the operation needed to save her life could leave her in a vegetative state, and she would require round-the-clock care.
But incredibly, seven years after the operation, she has made a miraculous recovery.
She had to learn how to walk, talk and even eat again - but with the support of her family, her long road to recovery is at an end, and she is looking forward to spending a summer teaching at Camp America.
Miss Bassett has now teamed up with the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, and is championing their HeadSmart campaign - which aims to raise awareness of how to spot the early signs of a brain tumour.
She is also studying to be a primary school teacher at St Mary's University.
Life-threatening surgery: Doctors at St Georges Hospital in Tooting told Emma's parents the tumour had been growing in her brain since she was five
'It was such a shock to discover I'd had this tumour growing inside me, probably for years, without me knowing anything about it,' she said.
'I'm incredibly fortunate that I managed to make a good recovery after my operations.
'The doctors told my parents that I would need 24-hour care, and I'd probably be in a dependent state after the operation, because the tumour was wrapped about my brain stem, and the surgeons thought removing it would cause irreparable damage.
'After the operation, I couldn't walk, talk, or even feed myself. But I was determined I'd walk again and beat the tumour.
'It has taken years of hard work, but now, I'm finally able to do the things I've always wanted to and live the life I've always wanted to lead.
'At my latest scan, there was no sign of the tumour returning either, so it's great news.'
Brain scan: The tumour has grown to the size of a satsuma - and was so advanced that young Emma was just hours from death
The tumour was first diagnosed after she had spent weeks suffering bad headaches and dizziness.
Her worried mother, Gina, took her to an optician - who referred her for further eye tests at the hospital six weeks later.
But specialists at St George's Hospital, Tooting, were horrified when they realised the cause of her problems was a tumour so big it was stopping vital fluid moving around Miss Bassett's brain - leaving her with just hours to live.
They explained that she was only still alive because a rollercoaster ride she had been on the weekend before her appointment had briefly redistributed fluid on her brain, buying her a precious few extra days.
The fluid was being held in one place, building up pressure in one corner of her brain. Hanging upside down on the rollercoaster caused it to spread out, easing the pressure that could have killed her.
Doctors told Miss Bassett's devastated parents she would have to have one operation to remove the fluid and another to take out the tumour, which left her paralysed.
She recalled: 'I had been getting really bad headaches, and being sick, as well as feeling dizzy, but my parents put it down to me being nervous about starting secondary school.
Long journey: Miss Bassett had to relearn how to walk, talk and eat after the surgery - which doctors feared could leave her in a vegetative state
'It was only when my balance got really bad mum took me to the opticians, as we thought I might need glasses.
'But the optician told us to go straight to hospital - and the doctors who saw me there were really worried.
'I went to hospital on Wednesday, and the doctors told me that I would have been dead by Friday if I hadn't got help.
'They showed me a scan of my brain and the tumour was enormous. I told them I'd been to Thorpe Park and on all the rollercoasters with my friends, and they said that had saved my life.
'I had my first operation the very next day, which left me with a shunt coming out of my head, to drain away fluid.
'I was in such shock when I found out what was wrong with me. I was worried, but everything happened so quickly I didn't have time to be frightened.'
Medics believed the damage caused by removing the tumour might leave her in a vegetative state, and doubted she would ever be able to live a normal life - but she has made an incredible recovery and defied their predictions.
She spent a year with her leg in a splint, and then a further two years walking with a crutch - and still had to have special insoles in her shoes to support her walking.
Now, the only sign of her brave battle is a slight paralysis on the left side of her face.
She said: 'I have had so much hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy to get me where I am today.
'The doctors thought I might make slight improvements after my operation, but they have since told me they never expected me to come anywhere near as far as I have.
'I certainly don't think they expected to see me at university and walking around.
'It's taken a lot of determination and hard work, but I'm really proud of how far I've managed to come, and hope that my story can help someone else spot the signs of a brain tumour before it's too late.
'When I look back, I realise that I had all the classic brain tumour symptoms - but nobody, including a family member who is a nurse, spotted them.
'Hopefully, I can help other people aware of those early warning signs through the HeadSmart campaign.'
HeadSmart is a project which aims to enhance the awareness of brain tumours in children, to reduce the time it takes for a diagnosis to be made.
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