A receptionist in Saffron Walden will walk 10,000 steps every day with her partner this month.
Cindy Whife's efforts are in sharp contrast to 2013, when she struggled to navigate Walden's narrow streets as her balance wasn't good and she was experiencing double vision while driving.
Her strange symptoms including going off coffee and developing headaches.
Cindy, 64, said: "I had these symptoms but I didn't join the dots up. I went to the doctors several times."
Malcolm Domb and Cindy Whife (Image: submitted)
Cindy and partner Malcolm Domb were due to fly to Tenerife but just before they left, she experienced a numbness running up the left-hand side of her face and thought she'd have to see the dentist on their return.
She said: "We went on holiday and the numbness spread further up my cheek to my left eye and eventually into my forehead and the side of my head.
“I felt so tired that all I did was sleep and when we got back, I went straight to the doctor. She said maybe I’d had a mini stroke.
"But when I Googled what she was referring to it is something you get over quite quickly and I knew mine had gone on for months so I was pretty worried.”
The mum-of-two was referred for a neurologist appointment but before that happened, on the suggestion of her partner's mother, went to A&E.
Addenbrooke's Hospital diagnosed Cindy with a low-grade meningioma brain tumour.
A satsuma-size tumour was removed from the back of Cindy's head during an 11-hour craniotomy.
Cindy was off work from New Road Dental Practice for three months while she recovered.
Subsequent MRIs have revealed she has two further tumours but they are not currently of concern.
Cindy said: “I do consider myself lucky because that was eight years ago and I’m still here. I’ve known several people who have had brain tumours and died. I’m also lucky in that I haven’t had any side effects from it, none whatsoever."
Cindy and Malcolm will take part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge, the second year they have taken part.
Brain Tumour Research says brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
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