Omagh optometrist to run marathon following brain tumour

“If you’d told me this time last year I’d be running a marathon, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

These are the words of Cathy Davis, an Omagh optometrist who has spoken out about her brain tumour diagnosis to voice the importance of knowing your own body and seeking help when something feels wrong.

In the past year Cathy, aged 33, has had to learn how to walk again. She has had to regain her balance and strength, and has adapted to losing her hearing in one ear. Now, she has set her sights on completing the Manchester Marathon in April after overcoming one of the most life-altering years of her life.

Cathy, who has been an optometrist with Specsavers since 2012 and working at Specsavers Omagh for the past nine years, began feeling unwell back in September 2022 with persistent headaches, which, when they were coupled with nausea and hair loss, she knew something was wrong.

“If I could give one piece of advice to anyone reading this, it would be to listen to your body,” began Cathy.

“Nobody knows your own health and wellbeing like yourself, you know if something isn’t right and that’s what happened to me.”

Cathy’s GP suggested she keep a diary of her headaches, but when she discussed the matter within her work, it prompted her colleague Mairead O’Kane to undertake an eye test.

Mairead was concerned with the appearance of Cathy’s optic nerve and therefore immediately referred her to Ophthalmology at Altnagelvin Hospital, where she received an MRI.

“In November 2022, I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, which is a type of brain tumour, and thankfully, non-cancerous,” continued Cathy.

“The tumour was on the nerve behind my ear that is used for hearing and balance, which explained my sickness – I was experiencing headaches and nausea from the pressure of the tumour, which was also growing.”

It took two surgeons ten hours to remove 95% of the tumour back in January 2023, and Cathy spent six days in ICU after her brain surgery being cared for by ‘the most amazing nurses and consultants.’

“They were just absolutely incredible and I owe them all my life, as well as Mairead,” stated Cathy.

It is that combination of clinical expertise that has made Cathy want to speak out about her experiences, one year on from surgery and now back at work providing the exact care which saved her own life.

“At Specsavers Omagh, our level of expertise accessible to our local community is second to none and I want everyone to know that we are here and we can help you.”

In the same year, Stacey McNamee visited the store in a last ditch attempt to get help for her headaches, and thanks to a concerning Field Vision Test, was referred to Altnagelvin where she was told she’d had a stroke.

In 2021, Steven Jackson also visited Specsavers Omagh with headaches and an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scan, which is a hospital grade machine in-store, showed a huge build up of pressure caused by a blood clot in Steven’s brain.

Cathy herself has found such life threatening conditions when testing patients within her clinics, which prompted her to share her symptoms with Mairead.

“Had I not spoken to Mairead about my health, and with both of our knowledge combined, the tumour would’ve continued to grow, I would’ve continued to be unwell and would’ve been left with lifechanging disabilities, which was confirmed by my neurosurgeons at The Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.”

“It will take me years to process this, however I am determined not to let it define my life. I am so incredibly lucky to have the care, surgery and support needed to get me through this, from my doctors, my colleagues, my gym friends, my group of best friends and my incredible family. So, in November 2023, the anniversary of my diagnosis, I decided I wanted to do something to give back, so I signed up to the Manchester Marathon with my friend, Cathy McAleer.”

“Fatigue has been a huge side effect of my surgery last year. After ten hours under general anaesthetic, it can take the body years to adjust. I was fit and healthy before my surgery which has put me in a good position to get my strength and fitness back.

“A few months after my surgery I was cheering on my running mates at a race in Bundoran and said to myself, ‘I’m going to be here next year, running this race’, and I did – I used it as a training run on March 2nd.”

Cathy will run on April 14 to raise money for BANA, the British Acoustic Neuroma Association, telling her story to also raise awareness and ensure more people know about the access to clinical care available in local communities thanks to Specsavers stores across Northern Ireland.

You can donate by clicking this link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/cathy-davis-1709982520780?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fcathy-davis-1709982520780&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Specsavers Omagh will also hold a bake sale in-store to fundraise for the charity, ahead of the marathon, on Friday, March 22.

Cathy finished, “If you’d told me this time last year, when I was just a few weeks into my recovery, that I’d be running a marathon by April the following year, I wouldn’t have believed you, but I am just so grateful that I can go out there and run over 26 miles, and I can’t wait.”