'My panic attacks turned out to be a brain tumour'
When Kim Wilson crashed her car six years ago she was unable to speak properly and became disorientated.
The 37-year-old assumed she’d had a panic attack.
Kim, who grew up in Wakefield, then experienced memory lapses, speech problems and anxiety-like episodes over the next three years.
They were all misattributed to mental health challenges.
But she received a shocking diagnoses when she collapsed during a work call - and doctors told her she had experienced two tonic-clonic seizure.
An MRI scan confirmed she had a brain tumour and Kim underwent an eight hour emergency brain surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible.
She was later told the tumour was a grade 3 astrocytoma - an aggressive and incurable brain tumour.
She said: “That night after hearing the diagnosis, I lay in bed and cried into my pillow.
“It was the only time I allowed myself to properly break down. I sobbed quietly, not wanting anyone to hear.
“My mind was racing. All I could think was that I was going to die.
“I remember watching a film and thinking that every single character could outlive me.
“But I didn’t stay in that place for long. I messaged a close friend, and she reminded me that I didn’t have to face it alone.
“The next morning, I told my dad.
“Saying it out loud helped take away some of the fear.
“From that point on, I chose to be open, honest, and positive”
Kim began radiotherapy shortly after surgery, followed by 12 rounds of chemotherapy.
Despite the gruelling regime, she experienced relatively few side effects and completed her treatment in October 2023.
She now has MRI scans every six months, with the most recent results coming up soon.
Speaking about life before her diagnosis Kim said: "I became anxious about simple things like leaving the house or running errands.
"I thought I was just having panic attacks and put it down to COVID stress. My GP agreed it was anxiety and prescribed medication.
“There were other strange moments too. Once, I was found rambling and confused in the car.
"Another time, I had an episode during a walk in the forest.
"We were convinced it couldn’t be a panic attack because there was nothing to panic about. Looking back, these were all seizures. But I genuinely believed it was just anxiety at the time.
This month, Kim decided to launch the “100 Squats a Day in August challenge” to raise money for Brain Tumour Research - the only national charity focused on finding a cure for all brain tumours.
Kim said: “I want people to feel they can live with cancer, not just survive it.
"I can’t cure my own tumour, but I can help fund vital research that might lead to a cure for someone else in the future.”
To donate to the charity, visit here.