Best friends with the same brain tumour launch prize draw to raise money for charity

Best friends who were diagnosed with the same kind of brain tumour have launched a prize draw to raise money for charity.

Elly Heans-Glogowska, 36, from Coleraine Road in Blackheath, was diagnosed in 2012 with a meningioma – a type of tumour that grows on the membrane on the inside of the skull.

Unbelievably, her best friend Janice Johnson, 36, was diagnosed with the same kind of tumour in December 2019.

Ms Heans-Glogowska said: “It’s been really great to have each other for support because someone really understands what you’re going through.

“It’s nice to have someone who doesn’t try to make it better, someone who just understands what it is and says actually yeah that’s really bad and I know because I did it too, and I can totally sympathise with you.”

The pair are aiming to raise £30,000 for Brainstrust, a charity that supports people who have brain tumours.

Prizes included in the draw include a signed England rugby shirt, donated by Joe Launchbury, a four night stay in a Brittany summer house and a two hour private helicopter tour of central London.

Ms Heans-Glogowska discovered she had the tumour after a routine optician’s appointment found her eyes were being pushed forward.

Since then she has had two surgeries and six weeks of radiotherapy.

Because of where the tumour is, it cannot be removed, but her latest scans suggest that it has stopped growing.

Ms Johnson’s tumour is above the motor strip on the right side of her brain, meaning it affects her ability to process information, focus, and vision.

She had a craniotomy and has also had six weeks of radiotherapy, with the hope that the tumour will not regrow.

Both women found the radiotherapy difficult, and were glad to have each other for support.

Ms Heans-Glogowska said: “If you have radiotherapy on your head you have to wear this very tight-fitting mask which pins your head to the table because you had to stay completely still. 

“We’re both very claustrophobic so at least we had each other to share those experiences. That was really helpful.”

Brainstrust offers a wide range of services, including a 24 hour helpline, funding for private second opinions and support groups.

Ms Heans-Glogowska said: “Janice and I were quite lucky that we had each other, and obviously most people don’t have one of their best friends to talk to who’s going through the same experience. 

“So we want to raise money so we can help the charity reach out and support more people and as many people as we can.

“We just want to use our experience, even though it was a bad one, for something that will be good.”

The pair have already raised £9000 for the charity and hope to hit their target soon.

To participate in the prize draw click here.

Pictured top: Janice Johnson (left) and Elly Heans-Glogowska (right)