I thought we were wasting doctors time but my cheeky Phoebe was the sickest in hospital – she looked completely normal

A MUM went through every parent’s worst nightmare when a routine eye test for her daughter revealed a devastating illness. Katie Nicholls, 41, decided to seek medical advice when her daughter Phoebe, 5, suffered from months of severe headaches and frequent bouts of sickness. Katie Nicholls received devastating news about her daughter Phoebe’s health after an eye test Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research Phoebe had been suffering from severe headaches and sickness for months, but she was initially told this was just caused by migraines Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research The mum, however, was repeatedly told that Phoebe was just suffering from migraines. Despite this, she decided to start keeping a record of her daughter’s decline and eventually Katie booked an eye test for Phoebe at Specsavers. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! What happened next made the family’s world come crashing down. Just 12 hours after the optician’s appointment, Katie was told to take Phoebe straight to A&E and there, a CT scan revealed her daughter had a brain tumour. Read more on brain tumours Speaking about the ordeal, Katie, from St Neots, Cambridgeshire, said: “I felt like we were probably wasting the hospital’s time because Phoebe was running around and playing like normal. “But, looking back, she was probably the sickest kid there.” Phoebe ended up in A&E at Addenbrooke’s Hospital just three months after the initial symptoms had begun in February 2026. After being told the devastating news of her daughter’s brain tumour, Katie said she “fell apart and just sobbed”. Most read in Health Just 12 hours after an eye test, Katie was told to bring Phoebe to A&E Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research Doctors discovered Phoebe had a brain tumour and she had to undergo surgery Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research “I kept asking if Phoebe would survive,” she said. “The doctors said they were unable to answer that at the time, which is the worst thing in the world as a parent.” Medics discovered there was a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid – known as hydrocephalus – on Phoebe’s brain, so they had to insert a drain to relieve pressure. If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal, the NHS says. It damages the brain and can cause headaches, vomiting, blurred vision and difficulty walking. After the drain was inserted, Phoebe then underwent a resection where most of her tumour was removed. From this, doctors confirmed that it was a pilocystic astrocytoma. This is a slow-growing mass which begins from star-shaped support cells within the brain. Doctors also had to insert a drain into Phoebe’s brain to relieve pressure from a build-up of fluid Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research Phoebe’s head pictured after she had surgery to remove the brain tumour Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research The tumour commonly affects children and adults before the age of 20. Speaking about her daughter’s journey since the surgery, Katie said: “Phoebe is amazing. She went back to school three weeks after her operation, doing a few hours at first, then going back for a few days. “By the end of term, she had done a full week.” The youngster now wears glasses, which are “mega strong”, but Katie says she’s very comfortable wearing them. Phoebe is not completely out of the woods yet, but her mum says she is thriving. She is due to have her first checkup MRI scan in November, and her family are hoping for good news. Pictured with her brothers, Phoebe is now doing well and went back to school three weeks after her surgery Credit: Jam Press/Brain Tumour Research What is a Pilocytic Astrocytoma? Pilocytic astrocytoma is a central nervous system tumor made up of star-shaped cells in your brain. It most often affects children and adults before age 20. This tumor is low-grade, which means it’s treatable and leads to a good prognosis if detected early. Removal surgery can cure this tumor. Pilocytic astrocytomas are the most common brain tumours among children. They affect around one in every 100,000 people before the age of 20 in the US. Symptoms include: Headaches Fatigue or lethargy Vomiting Personality, behavior and mood changes Changes to thinking, learning and concentrating Stiff neck Blurred vision, double vision or rapid eye movements. Weakness in your arms and legs and difficulty with coordination Source: Cleveland Clinic Katie said: “Being told she had a brain tumour was the worst feeling in the world – but now we feel so incredibly lucky because it could’ve been a whole different story. “She could’ve needed treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but she didn’t need that. “If it’s just that she now has bad eyesight and wears glasses, then so be it.” Katie and Phoebe are now working with Brain Tumour Research to raise awareness and urge the Government to increase funding for research into brain tumours. Speaking about Phoebe, the mum said: “Thankfully, she hasn’t lost any of her cheeky character. “She’s still the same as she was – probably even a little bit cheekier now. “We’re hopeful this is the end of it, but we’ve seen how quickly life can change. “You never think something like this will happen to you; but it does.” Comment now