Mum, 39, left devastated as true cause of ‘deja vu’ and ‘out of body experiences’ is found

A MUM who kept having out-of-body experiences was eventually diagnosed with brain cancer.

Teaching assistant Kirsty Connell, 39, discovered she had grade 2 oligodendroglioma after suffering terrible headaches and feelings of déjà vu — the sense of having lived through a situation before.

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Initially, doctors thought the mum-of-three was experiencing hormone-related migraines but sent her for an MRI as a precaution.

“When I got taken through to a family room, I knew something wasn’t right, and that’s where I was told they’d found a mass on my brain,” she said.

More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year — of which around half are cancerous — with 5,300 losing their lives.

Oligodendroglioma tumours only make up around three per cent of all cases.

The rare type of cancer responds better to treatment than many other types but is not curable.

Kirsty used to have out-of-body experiences as if she could feel herself elsewhere.

She’d have a conversation with someone or be in a shop paying, get a fun feeling, and see herself in other places – such as driving her car, cooking, or waking elsewhere.

Kirsty said the feelings would last a few seconds but became more and more frequent and intense over time, and they went to see a doctor.

Following an MRI, she was diagnosed in October 2021 and underwent a craniotomy in November of the same year.

She said: “My first thought was there was no way I could be awake for surgery.

“I’d had a mole removed previously and that completely put me off, but I was really looked after.

“I feel really lucky because the surgeons were able to remove every visible trace of my tumour and I know it could have been very different.”

Kirsty is a supporter of the charity Brain Tumour Research and took part in a fundraiser which asks pupils and teachers to wear their favourite hats.

She said: “The school celebrated it last year, but sadly, I wasn’t there to join in because I was having a brain scan, so I was really looking forward to it this year.

“We held it a day early to tie in with our end-of-term assembly and it was great to see so many children and staff wearing hats.

“Everyone in my department wore the same ones – brightly coloured cowgirl hats. It was a great turnout, and I can’t wait to see how much we’ve raised.”

The event, which asks people to don their favourite hats, hold hat-themed events and make donations to help find a cure for brain tumours – has raised more than £2 million since being launched in 2010 and will officially take place on March 28, 2024.

Kirsty’s school is holding the event on March 27, 2024.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “With one in three people knowing someone affected by a brain tumour, Kirsty’s story is sadly not unique.

“Brain tumours kill more women under 35 than breast cancer. More men under 70 have prostate cancer and more children have leukaemia.

“We’re determined to change that, but we can’t do it alone. We’re really grateful to Kirsty and her colleagues and pupils at The Redway School for their support.

“Together we will find a cure.”

What is a brain tumour?

There are two main types of brain tumours, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and less likely to return after treatment.

Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return.

While their cause is unknown, you are more at risk as you age, with most brain tumours occurring in adults aged 85 to 89 — even though some types are more common in children.

Exposure to radiation from radiotherapy, CT scans or X-rays of the head can also increase the risk in rare cases.

A family history of genetic conditions like tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis and Turner syndrome can also boost the chances.

Treatment depends on the type of tumour, where it is on the brain, how big it is and how far it’s spread, and your overall health and fitness.

It can include steroids, drugs to ease symptoms, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and is more successful if the disease is caught early — so it is important to know the signs.

Brain tumours can cause headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and memory problems, according to the NHS.

They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision.

If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP, the health service says.