by Ron Eyley
Anna Swabey is a bright and bubbly 24-year-old with long, blonde hair that frequently falls in front of her face and masks a disarming smile and delightful laugh that reminds me of Peter Ustinov’s quote about laughter being ‘the most civilized music in the world’. She’s an intelligent young woman with a coveted first class honours degree in modern languages and European studies and who, say those in the know, was clearly destined to be a smash hit in whatever world she chose for a career. But the bouncy blonde hair, smiles and laughter that pepper our interview hide a terrible secret. Anna is dying . . .
In January this year, at the age of 23, she collapsed at home and was subsequently diagnosed with a particularly aggressive grade 3 glioma anaplastic astrocytoma. Put simply, that’s a brain tumour. It was said to be inoperable and Anna was given as little as three months to live. The best possible prognosis, she was told, was that she might still be alive in three years’ time.
For sports-mad Anna, a self-confessed rugby addict, it was, not surprisingly, a shattering blow. Just a few days later, however, she travelled to London to see a consultant neurosurgeon who confirmed the diagnosis but, to everyone’s surprise and Anna’s great delight, offered to remove at least part of the tumour.
Anna admits that she immediately felt inspired to turn her hitherto negative experiences into positive action and to do all she could to support others with the same condition, to raise awareness of brain tumours and the reality of living with a terminal illness, and to raise as much cash as she could for brain tumour research.
Anna, from Newton Aycliffe in Durham, began to write a blog on social media. She called it ‘Inside my Head’ – and it took off. To date, her personal thoughts and feelings have attracted over 85,000 viewings. “I just wanted others in my position to know they were not alone,” she says.
Anna also determined to raise awareness of brain tumours themselves. “They kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer but get only 1 per cent of the national cancer research funding budget – and that has got to change,” she argues. “Any breakthrough in the near future would be too late for me but it could well benefit others in my situation.”
Not content with simply spreading the word, Anna also launched a non-stop fund-raising campaign for brain tumour research. As well as a Just Giving page on her blog, Anna and a host of friends organized, among other things, a charity ball, raffles, cake sales, sky-dives and a netball tournament. The list she reels off seems endless.
In just eight months, their efforts have raised more than £36,500 for the Brain Tumour Research Campaign, the charity chaired by Anna’s neurosurgeon. Anna admits she’s ‘gobsmacked’ but insists that even more cash is still needed
By any standard, it’s a remarkable achievement especially as the past year has seen Anna undergo two major brain operations and a gruelling seven weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. She is still working her way through a 12-month cycle of intensive chemotherapy but insists that she does not suffer any major day-to-day side effects.
I find it hard to believe, especially when Anna suddenly decides to remove her long blonde wig to reveal a short crop of jet black hair, and a long, jagged scar on one side of her skull.
Whatever the truth, Anna didn’t think twice about taking her bid to win a better deal for brain cancer research to the powers-that-be in London and in November, she was invited to meet the government’s newly-formed Petitions Committee to air her views.
“I miss my life that wasn’t dictated by my illness but I try to hold in my tears because I know they are not going to get me anywhere. I’m more concerned about the people I shall leave behind. At the moment, I just concentrate on remaining strong and healthy,” she says.
Anna will need all that health and strength next April. She’s signed up to run in the 26.2 mile Paris marathon alongside18 friends, supporters and family members. When she’s not training for that epic run, she’s out and about seeking sponsorship for running kit and out-of-pocket expenses.
December saw another major development in Anna’s life. Boyfriend Andrew Bell asked Anna to marry him and she immediately said ‘yes’. Wedding bells will be ringing for the couple at a venue in North East England next October.
As I prepare to leave after the interview, I ask Anna if she has any message for her supporters. “Yes,” she says. “Tell them I’m not going to give in without a fight. . . I’m not going to roll over. . . Tell them there’s so much more I have to do . . .”
Editor’s footnote: veteran news reporter and long-serving Rotarian Ron Eyley, who wrote this article, told members of Newton Aycliffe Rotary Club: “In more than half a century in journalism I have written many stories like this but I’ve never met anyone quite like Anna. She’s an extremely courageous and truly inspirational young woman. . .”
Anna lends hand with a Christmas collection at Newton Aycliffe’s Tesco store for local needy families. She’s pictured with (left) Rtn John Burrows and Rtn Keith Butterfield.
