An inspirational mum who learned to walk again after being diagnosed with a brain tumour weeks after the birth of her daughter is now set to run the London Marathon.

In 2015, former civil servant Marie Garnett said goodbye to husband and newborn daughter Amelia after being diagnosed with a brain tumour less than six weeks after giving birth.

Marie had suffered from severe headaches for seven years and developed dizziness and loss of balance in the days leading up to her diagnosis.  

Marie was rushed to The Walton Centre where she spent more than a month as she underwent three brain surgeries, the longest of which lasted eight hours, before battling meningitis – all while trying to be a new mum from her hospital bed.

After her life-saving operations, Marie needed several days of physiotherapy to be able to stand on her own, and it was weeks before she could properly walk again. 

But remarkably, the tenacious fundraiser is now running the virtual London Marathon from her home in Haydock, St Helens, and hopes to raise at least £300 for Liverpool cause The Brain Charity.

She said:

The night before my first brain surgery, I said goodbye to Amelia and my husband Darren. I whispered to Amelia ‘look after your daddy’. After the operation I struggled to walk. At first, it took two physios to get me from my bed to the nurses’ station and when I first left hospital, I could only do 300 steps per day – even just going to the shops was exhausting.  But I kept pushing my boundaries. I’ve never run a marathon – everyone thinks I’m crazy. My plan is to run as much of it as I can.

Marie has chosen to support The Brain Charity because they provided her with invaluable counselling for free. She will have 24 hours to complete the 26.2 miles on a course of her choice.

The Brain Charity supports people with all forms of neurological condition, from anywhere in the UK. 

You can sponsor Marie here.

Photo: The Brain Charity