Anita's Story

Originally from Surrey, Anita moved to Oxford to be near her husband’s family before they got married and started a family of their own. Together they built a beautiful life raising three children – two boys and a girl – with whom Anita is very close.

At 50, Anita’s world shifted. She began experiencing unusual symptoms including persistent depression, tiredness and memory loss indicating that something was wrong. Her family also noticed these changed and were very worried.

Initial visits to the doctors resulted in a “Sudo” dementia diagnosis but her family’s instincts told them this wasn’t right and they pushed for an MRI. This changed everything as it was discovered Anita had two  tumours and a cyst taking up a third of her brain.

The diagnosis was a tremendous shock for Anita and her family and marked the start of a difficult journey for them all. Anita underwent a 12-hour operation that successfully removed one tumour, however it was too high risk to remove the second. After a few weeks of recovery, Anita started radiotherapy to shrink the other tumour and now has regular checks to monitor the growth.

The trauma from Anita’s tumours and operations still affect Anita. She struggles daily with her cognitive function and everyday living . Fatigue gets in the way of day-to-day tasks which is extremely frustrating for her. She also struggles with sensory overload which can cause a lot of anxiety and lack of self-belief. Anita felt that after her brain injury, she was disregarded and judged further adding to to her anxieties.

Anita started coming to Oxford Head Injury Services in 2019 which she describes as “a blessing”.  Here, Anita has rediscovered herself and has learned ways in which to ground and process things around her. The supportive environment has helped her anxieties, enabled her to maintain independence and dignity while building meaningful friendships. She has uncovered her artistic talents, finding therapeutic value in creative expression which has become central to her rehabilitation, giving her something to look forward to each week.

Oxford Head Injury Services has also been a great comfort for her family. They are excited every week to find out what she has been doing and what things she brings home. They understand that during Anita’s vulnerable moments that she is in a safe place, which is a great comfort to them all. Anita has also weekly gym sessions with Marta, which Anita especially loves and has lost weight due to the encouragement and help from Marta.

When asked what life would be like without Oxford Head Injury Services Anita said:  “The journey would be tougher without Oxford Head Injury Services”.

We are incredibly proud of Anita’s courage, resilience, and remarkable progress. Her story inspires us and demonstrates the impact we are making in the lives’ of people and families navigating life after brain injury.

Anita’s journey continues, and we are honoured to be part of it.