Nicola Hewitson, mum of Abbi Hewitson, has praised her daughter, friends and family for fundraising more than £8,000 for the neurosurgery department at The James Cook University Hospital.
In 2019, at the age of 24, Abbi, from Hartlepool, was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma, a type of brain tumour, when she had her first seizure.
Mr Anil Varma, consultant neurosurgeon, performed a crucial 11-hour-long surgery in the same year at James Cook.
Throughout this period, she developed a special bond with Mr Varma, whom Abbi called her very own ‘angel’.
Her mum, Nicola said: “She has a lot of love and respect for Mr Varma and thinks the absolute world of him.”
She started her chemotherapy after a surgery was ruled out due to the size of her growing tumour in the brain.
Although the initial reports suggested that Abbi’s medical treatment was keeping the tumour under control, further scan reports revealed that Abbi’s tumour was transforming to a cancerous type, which did not have a cure.
But Abbi, now 31, did not let this bring her spirits down as she decided to give something back to the place that provided her with compassionate care and love.
Abbi organised her first fundraising sparkle party during COVID-19.
Her family and friends joined in her mission to raise funds for the hospital unit as they held a virtual lemonade stand, sponsored swim and participated in the Great North Run.
Over the years, the fundraising activities undertaken by Abbi – despite her deteriorating condition – and her friends and family have raised over £8,000 for the hospital unit.
Mr Varma said: “I met Abbi in January 2019 when the brain scan picked up the tumour. She came across as a very determined young lady who maintained a positive attitude throughout her entire journey.
“Her determination shines through the fundraising activities that she has done for the department. I still have her framed T-shirt on my office wall from the 12-hour walk she did to raise funds in 2021. She is a shining personality that I will always remember as a “starry angel patient” I came across in my career as an oncology neurosurgeon.”
Nicola said: “She is the most selfless, generous lady with the biggest heart. Her family is her biggest love.
“Abbi has battled her condition like an absolute warrior for six and a half years, which still goes on today, making us all laugh with her wicked and sensational personality.”
Mr Varma added:
“Abbi's fundraising will help us to further develop the surgical services available at James Cook, which includes helping us to acquire the cortical stimulator — enabling us to do awake tumour surgery — and other such specialist surgeries.”
Our Hospitals Charity manager Lisa Meehan said: “We are so grateful to Abbi for the amazing fundraising she and her family have done, her kindness really will make a difference to other patients under the care of Mr Varma.”