DIAGNOSED with a brain tumour in her third year of Worcester University, Charlotte Green feared she would never finish her degree.
But just four months later, after completing a gruelling course of radiotherapy, she went back to finish her studies and got a first-class honours degree,
Now the 23-year-old from Solihull is passionate about helping to raise money and awareness for The Brain Tumour Charity.
She and 50 of her family and friends – dubbed Team Green – took part in the pioneering charity’s walk in Warwick on October 11.
After suffering seizures which doctors put down to stress, Charlotte was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March 2014 and had to drop out of her early childhood (practitioner options) BA honours degree course.
“I was devastated when I had to leave university,” said teaching assistant Charlotte.
“All that hard work, time, dedication and ambition to be a teacher was snatched away from me i in seconds.”
Two months later, she was told it was a rare high grade anaplastic astrocytoma.
She started treatment in July and in six weeks had 33 sessions of radiotherapy Monday to Friday to shrink the tumour.
“After finishing radiotherapy I was determined to go back to uni to complete my final year,” said Charlotte, whose graduation ceremony is November 18.
“And I was thrilled when I went back in September as I’d promised myself that having a brain tumour wasn’t going to stop me.”
Last year, Charlotte did the walk with her best friend Kirsty Gorevan.
“This year it’s snowballed and there were nearly 50 of us,” she added.
“I’m so touched people want to walk in support of me as they know The Brain Tumour Charity is a cause close to my heart.”
Forming a sea of red in the charity’s T-shirts, Charlotte and Team Green including mum Jeanette Field, dad Colin Green, step-dad Ken Field, sister Georgina Green, step-sisters Allegra and Saskia Field, step-brother Aaron Field and partner Nick Guise– joined around 150 other walkers on the 10k historic route through the grounds of Warwick Castle, parks, gardens and along the River Avon.
After the walk – which was attended by ex-England rugby captain Lewis Moody who runs the Lewis Moody foundation with the charity and called the walkers ‘awe- inspiring’ – Charlotte said: “It was a brilliant atmosphere and I loved having Team Green with me raising money for such an important cause.’’
Mum Jeannette added: “I’m so proud her. She’s always been incredibly positive and I’m convinced that is helping her in her own battle.’’
Geraldine Pipping, the charity’s director of fundraising, said: “Charlotte is truly inspirational and we are hugely grateful to her Team Green for taking part in the walk.
“The Twilight Walk helps to show people affected by brain tumours that they are not alone.
“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK and survival rates have not improved significantly over the last 40 years.
“We receive no government funding and rely 100 per cent on voluntary donations, fundraising and gifts in wills.
“It’s only through support from our fantastic fundraisers like Charlotte that we can change these shocking statistics in the future and bring hope to the thousands of people who are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.”
