A mother has voiced her profound gratitude to medical staff who saved her four-year-old daughter’s life and helped her regain the ability to move and speak after a devastating brain tumour diagnosis.
Jessica Macrae, from Bearsden in East Dunbartonshire, underwent critical surgery at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow last year.
A tumour had been discovered at the back of her brain, necessitating immediate intervention. This was followed by an intensive 12-week neuro rehabilitation programme, which saw Jessica transform from being unable to speak, eat, or move, to joyfully re-engaging with her family and life.
Her parents, Jude Pender, 40, and Andrew Macrae, 43, first observed “worrying changes” in Jessica’s health during the summer of the previous year.
Ms Pender recounted: “What started as headaches and feeling sick in the mornings gradually progressed to problems with balance and coordination. It was very incremental, but there were lots of things that didn’t feel right. Her colouring in went from being fine for her age to very messy, she disengaged from gymnastics because she said it made her dizzy, and I noticed her walk had changed.”
After an initial visit to Accident and Emergency in August and several GP appointments, Jessica’s parents returned to the RHC in October as her symptoms worsened significantly.
A subsequent CT scan tragically revealed a mass at the back of Jessica’s brain, accompanied by a concerning build-up of fluid.
“When the neurosurgeon came to speak to us, we knew it was serious,” Ms Pender said. “We were told Jessica would need surgery immediately.”
Jessica underwent surgery on October 17, and following a short stay in intensive care she was transferred to a ward.
Her recovery was initially extremely challenging, with little movement or responsiveness, and severe sickness, so medics took the decision to fit a “shunt” to drain excess fluid.
Although Jessica began to stabilise, she was unable to move or speak and required a feeding tube.
She also needed full assistance from two staff members for any movement.
Ms Pender continued: “The neurosurgeons did a great job with Jessica to get her to that point, and we are so grateful to them for saving her life.
“We also knew that it would take a team following the surgery to progress her movement, but we were never sure what the outcome would be.”
Ms Pender credited the intensive neuro‑rehabilitation Jessica then received with the RHC physiotherapy team for progressing her recovery to where she is today.
Jessica remained in hospital for 13 weeks, with daily physiotherapy sessions taking place at her bedside, in the sensory room, gym and hydrotherapy pool.
“At the beginning, her rehabilitation was like fast‑tracking a baby’s development, learning to hold her head up, sit, crawl, eat and walk again,” Ms Pender said.
“Her main physio, Fiona (Norval), tailored every session to what Jessica enjoyed.
“They played games, set up obstacle courses and made everything feel fun. Jessica looked forward to her physio, and that made such a difference.”
Jessica was discharged in January and is continuing her recovery.
Her speech has returned, she is eating independently, her motor skills have “significantly improved”, and she is now able to walk with more stability and confidence.
She is now looking forward to celebrating her fifth birthday in April, with a fun-filled trip to a farm park with her cousins.
This is something her parents feared might not be possible just six months earlier.
“Jessica is such a happy little girl and has shown incredible resilience and determination,” Ms Pender said.
“She knows she has been unwell, but I don’t think she realises just how far she has come. We are so incredibly grateful to the teams who cared for her.”
Fiona Norval, a paediatric physiotherapist with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said Jessica’s determination throughout her recovery had been “incredible to see”.
“Her rehabilitation was intensive and challenging, but she approached every session with curiosity and enthusiasm,” she said.
“Our aim in paediatric physiotherapy is always to make therapy engaging and meaningful for the child, and Jessica’s progress is a testament to her hard work, her family’s support and the dedication of the wider multidisciplinary team involved in her care.”
