A mother who endured a decade of undiagnosed back pain before a spinal tumour was discovered is determined to walk down the aisle at her wedding this July.
Julie Coleman, 33, first experienced pain in her back and legs during her pregnancy in 2014. Initially told it was sciatica, and that symptoms would likely disappear after giving birth, Julie’s pain persisted. For almost 10 years, she visited her GP, reporting shooting pains in her legs, only to be prescribed painkillers and physiotherapy.
The ongoing struggle led Julie, who previously worked for Alzheimer’s Scotland and is now starting a remote customer service role, to feel she would be in pain for the rest of her life. She said she lost trust in her GP surgery. Finally, in November 2024, an MRI scan revealed a large benign tumour growing inside her spinal cord.
Facing the risk of paralysis, Julie underwent surgery to remove the tumour in January 2025. However, the tumour had already caused nerve damage, resulting in a spinal cord injury that leaves her with no feeling below her right knee.
Despite this, Julie is determined to walk down the aisle on crutches at her wedding this July. She and her fiancé, Stephen, 35, will be seated during the ceremony.
The couple, who live with their 10-year-old son, Connor, have launched a GoFundMe page to help cover unexpected costs related to Julie’s condition.
“Of course, I hadn’t imagined this would be how I would walk down the aisle and no-one grows up thinking one day they won’t be able to walk down the aisle unassisted,” Julie told PA Real Life.
“I was determined to walk down the aisle if it was a possibility and I’m very grateful I’m able to walk down – even if I do need a walking aid.
“I think we take our bodies for granted and if you feel something isn’t right, keep pushing for answers.”
Julie first experienced back pain and “shooting” pains down her right leg when she was pregnant with her son in 2014.
After visiting her GP surgery, which she did not wish to name, it was thought Julie was experiencing sciatica – nerve pain caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve – which would subside after she gave birth.
“I spent the last six months of my pregnancy sitting up in bed, I couldn’t lie down because it was too painful,” she said.
Julie said the pain did not go away after giving birth and she spent the next 10 years seeing numerous doctors at her GP surgery, having physiotherapy sessions and being prescribed painkillers.
“I was told it was sciatica caused by a slipped disc in my back,” she said.
“They said there’s no point sending you for any scans because the back surgery is too dangerous.
“It was extremely frustrating and it got to the point where I probably lost trust in my GP because I knew they weren’t going to do anything.
“I was going to several different GPs within the same practice and they were all saying the same thing.
“I just thought this is me for the rest of my life.”
She also started experiencing numbness in her right foot in 2022, which started in her toes and began “creeping” into her foot.
In November 2024, Julie had another appointment with a new physiotherapist, where she was finally referred for an MRI scan on her lower back, which took place on December 24 at the Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow.
Julie said her physiotherapist called her on New Year’s Eve to say the scan had revealed “changes in my spinal cord”.
On January 9, Julie had an appointment with a neurosurgeon at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where she had a full MRI scan on her spine and head.
Later that day, she was told a large tumour was growing inside her spinal cord – the suspected cause for the symptoms she had been experiencing for the last 10 years.
“I was really shocked as I had been trying to say something was wrong the whole time,” she said.
Julie was told there was a risk she could become paralysed in future with nerve damage caused by the tumour, and an operation to remove it would be the best course of action.
Even with the surgery, she was told there could be risks and some of her symptoms may not be “reversed”.
Julie had the operation to remove the tumour on January 28 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and she said she was “very grateful” to the doctors who treated and supported her.
She said the surgery was “successful” and most of the tumour was removed, but as some fragments could remain, she will have an MRI scan in August to get a clearer picture.
Tests were also conducted on the tumour where it was found to be a schwannoma, an uncommon, non-cancerous tumour that covers the nerves, according to Cancer Research UK.
Despite the success of the operation, the damage to Julie’s nerves may have been done – as she was diagnosed with a spinal cord injury while in hospital and she cannot feel anything below her right knee.
Since returning home on February 18, Julie uses a Zimmer frame to move around her home and needs a wheelchair for longer distances.
“I have random patches on my legs and stomach that are completely numb,” she said.
“Most of my pain was down my right leg so that has obviously had the most damage to the nerves.”
Julie added it could take up to two years to determine whether her symptoms will be permanent as there is a chance her feeling could return.
She and her fiance, Stephen, are due to tie the knot in July – and Julie said her son will be walking her down the aisle where she will use crutches.
Julie has also launched a GoFundMe page to help her and her family with any unexpected costs due to her condition, raising £225 so far.
To find out more, visit Julie’s fundraiser here: gofundme.com/f/help-julie-cover-unexpected-costs-after-spinal-cord-tumour
