‘As long as I can pet my cat Misty I’ll be so happy’

The 39-year-old went under the knife last October to have tumours removed from her brain and spine.

Christine has lived with the relatively rare genetic disorder since she was a girl.

When the condition targeted her spine in the late 2010s Christine went through surgery that left her largely paralysed.

Last year she was told that if a second operation was not carried out tumours would damage the areas of her brain stem responsible for breathing. She is currently in Beaumont Hospital recovering.

Christine agreed to have her surgery featured in ‘Brain Doctors’ a new series on Virgin Media One that takes viewers inside the neurosurgery department at Beaumont.

"As long as I can pet my cat [Misty] I will be so happy. The type of cat that she is, she loves cuddles,” she tells the film-makers in episode three of the series which goes out next Wednesday at 9pm.

"If I can get to move the back of my hand then I will take every minute to pet her.”

Having undergone a tracheotomy she was unable to speak to the ‘Journal’ in person this week.

But her mother Tracy and sister Hilary spoke to the paper on Christine’s behalf. They are immensely proud.

“Christine is the most positive person any of us know. Even her surgeon and the doctors up here say she is always smiling,” says Tracy.

And Hilary concurs: "She is just amazing and I'd like other people to see how amazing she is.”