‘I only realise now how traumatic it must have been for my family’

Earlier this month, Katie Patton staged an evening of musical magic with songs and performances from her favourite shows which was streamed live on the charity’s Facebook page.

The event, which was filmed remotely and in isolation, saw Katie and a collection of singers transporting the online audience back to our beloved theatres.

So far it has raised more than £1,700 for the charity, which aims to help find a cure for brain tumours.

Katie, 34, was diagnosed with a rare pineal region brain tumour when she was ten-years-old .

“I was getting frequent headaches for around six months and doctors put it down to the stress of sitting my exams.

“The symptoms progressed and I began to experience nausea, vomiting and double vision. I went to see my optician, who detected pressure behind my optic nerve, so I was sent for a CT scan. It was later discovered that I had a brain tumour and I was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Belfast for surgery.”

Katie was a budding young musical theatre actress, who had her sights set on a career in performing arts.

Her brain tumour diagnosis and subsequent treatment put paid to her plans to make it to the West End.

“I initially needed to have a shunt inserted to remove and drain fluid before major brain surgery. The shunt was a little drain or tap where a narrow piece of tubing is inserted into the brain, into the fluid-filled ventricle. The tubing is then passed under the skin and runs down my neck and into my tummy.

“My gruelling brain surgery was followed by intensive bouts of radiotherapy and I was out of action for a long time. My hair fell out, which was particularly traumatic, and I suffered with terrible sickness during the treatment.”

Katie said her recovery was slow following her treatment.

“I think it’s only recently, now I am in my thirties, that I’ve realised just how severe the situation was and how traumatic it must have been for my family.”

The Eglinton woman never gave up singing and acting and says it is constantly on her mind.

“It is what I am passionate about and the first thing I think about when I wake up and before I go to bed.”

She said she has always been really ambitious and while she hasn’t quite made it to the West End, she has set up her own theatre company, Warwick Avenue Productions.

Now she has used her voice and talent to raise money and awareness, to try to prevent others from suffering as she has.

Katie’s Wear A Hat Showtunes Sunday musical theatre concert featured Katie and a number of performers, including actress Jayne Wiesner, who played Johanna in the film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Johnny Cash Tribute singer John Paul McCauley and singing barrister Karl McGuckin.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Joe Woollcott, Brain Tumour Research’s Community Development Manager said: “Katie’s story reminds us that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any time.”

A number of the charity’s fundraising events had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however Joe said supporters have been coming up with new ideas.

“An online concert is a brilliant idea and Katie’s event provided a fantastic evening of musical entertainment from a hugely talented cast. We thank her sincerely for her fundraising efforts and would urge anyone who missed it on Sunday to log on and enjoy a wonderful hour of songs from the shows.”

Katie’s show is still available to watch at www.facebook.com/BrainTumourResearch.To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Katie-Patton3 or alternatively donate £5 by text SHOWTUNES to 70085.