'Miracle child' who defied the odds to beat brain tumour pays thanks again as she reaches landmark birthday

A woman who almost died as a toddler after being diagnosed with a huge brain tumour is again raising money for the ward where clinicans helped to save her life.

Rebecca Mainwaring was just two years old when doctors discovered she had a tumour the size of a tangerine and warned her parents to prepare for the worst.

But after undergoing an operation, months in hospital, and a course of radiotherapy, she defied all expectations to survive.

Rebecca said: “My mother had noticed a flickering in my left eye and contacted a health visitor.

“She wasn’t concerned at first, but then an hour later we got a phone call telling her to take me to Singleton, where they discovered I had a tumour behind my eye.

“The medical team didn’t know if I would pull through. I had surgery and was cut from ear to ear. The tumour was taken away, but things were very uncertain for me. Doctors didn’t know what effect the surgery would have on me – there was a risk I might have lost my eyesight.

“I came round and was able to see my mother and father, but my parents were told by doctors they did not know what the situation would be like for me in the long-term.”

But battling Rebecca continued to defy the odds. She lost some vision in her left eye and was given growth hormones until she reached the age of 16 to help her grow.

“My surgeon had called me a ‘miracle child’, and school was hard at times because I’d missed so much class,” she recalled.

“But I had great support from teachers Susan Joseph and Sue Bartle, and even ended up getting awarded the Llansamlet PTA shield for the best results in certification of education achievement award.

“The local community got behind my parents, raising money so they could get a car to get back and forth to hospital to see me.

“When I was old enough I did some fundraising of my own for the hospital, doing a sponsored walk around the Swansea Valley.  Now, as I was turning 40 this year, I decided I would like to raise money again for the children’s ward, as they did so much for me and my family.”

To mark her landmark birthday, Rebecca helped organise two raffles, held at the Crown Inn in Skewen and Birchgrove RFC. Prizes included donations from the CKs supermarket in Birchgrove, the Marina Tesco, the Scarlets, referee Pascal Neale, family friend Gerald Bergman and local boy and Welsh rugby professional Adam Beard, who provided a signed Wales rugby shirt.

Rebecca also took part in a sponsored climb of Pen y Fan with brother Lee, nephew Charlie Saxon, cousin Georgia Whitehouse and friend Kim Hiller.

On top of the £1,750 she raised for the ward as a teenager, the family’s combined efforts this year have made a further £2,000 – and they’ve also funded some toys for the ward.

She said: “The community supported me and my family, and I wanted to give something back.

“I would love to help others going through the same as we did. My family and friends give me great support and I’m very thankful for their help especially my mother Jackie, and to everyone who donated items to be raffled.”

Swansea Bay Health Charity is the official charity of Swansea Bay University Health Board.

With your help the charity raises money for pioneering research, cutting-edge equipment, enhancing buildings and spaces, patient and family wellbeing and staff training which are not covered by core NHS funding.

Visit our new charity website to see how the funds directly benefit patients and staff and how you can join us in making a real difference to so many lives.