A young mum who received a devastating terminal brain tumour diagnosis is now in a race against time to make as many memories with her baby daughter after doctors can't determine her life expectancy. Reagan Kirkpatrick's life was changed forever when she was given the heart breaking news last July that she had an incurable Grade 4 diffuse midline glioma brain tumour.
The brave 22-year-old mum from Annitsford, North Tyneside, said she had been suffering from headaches for weeks in the run up to her shock diagnosis, the Chronicle Live reports. Reagan said: "It all started in June when I began to get headaches and was really tired all of the time.
"I went to the doctors and they said it was due to stress and gave me some tablets to help with them." However, as time went on Reagan's headaches became so severe that she wasn't fit enough to work but all blood tests failed to identify the cause of the problem.
The young mum booked an appointment with Specsavers who informed her they could see something behind her eye and was told to take a note to doctors 'straight away'. Reagan visited Cramlington Hospital the following day and medics discovered she had a brain tumour during an MRI scan.
The courageous mum has since undergone six weeks of radiotherapy at the Freeman Hospital and is currently on her fourth round of chemotherapy. Reagan has been informed that although her tumour is shrinking it remains incurable and there is no way to determine how long she has left with her two-year-old daughter, Amara Bell.
Reagan said: "Doctors can't tell me how long I had the tumour before it was diagnosed or if it could have been prevented. I am just taking each day as it comes [but] it is so hard.
"I don't go out that much because it is taking its toll on me now and I can hardly go up the stairs. My balance is really bad and I need a wheelchair if I go to the shop."
Reagan has urged anyone who is concerned about their health and thinks something is wrong to 'definitely get a second opinion'. The devoted mother is now determined to make as many memories with her little girl as possible with hopes to take her to Disneyland Paris in 2023.
The 22-year-old's work colleagues at Domestic and General where Reagan worked as a sales advisor have set up an fundraising campaign called 'Raise 4 Reagan' to help with the costs of her final wishes. The Go Fund Me Page set up by work pal Liam Vinsome has raised over £3,000 where you can donate here: https://gofund.me/0d75630a
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
