'Thank you' gesture for head teacher's life-saving brain tumour surgery

Mrs Hilton, headteacher at Joseph and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School in Woodlands was diagnosed with a brain tumour and operated on at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.

Now she and her pupils have held a flower festival to raise money for the region’s neurological centre in Sheffield.

The school holds a festival every year, and the latest one has boosted the charity Neurocare by donating more than 200 to its appeal to bring three state-of-the-art brain scanners to the region’s neurological centre in Sheffield.

The appeal is for two scanners for use during surgery at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital and Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Mrs Hilton was diagnosed with her brain tumour eight years ago.

She said: “I was taken ill very suddenly, almost overnight, and three weeks later operated on at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. To be diagnosed with a brain tumour was a great shock and really shows how it can happen to anyone at any time. This new technology will make a real difference.

“The flower festival came about because my deputy head at the time I was ill wanted to do something to involve the children at school while I was in hospital so they held the festival for me. I thought it was a lovely idea so continued it every year but auctioned off the flowers at the end of the day to raise money for charity.

“I would like to thank everyone involved at the school - staff, parents and the children - for their help and support. It is wonderful that everyone really gets behind the festival and makes it such a lovely day in aid of such a good cause.

“Obviously as I had a brain tumour myself the Neurocare campaign is something that is very close to my heart and as a school we wanted to do something to help as I was so grateful for the care I received.”

Lesley Eland, director of fundraising at neurocare, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this donation from St Joseph and St Teresa’s Catholic School.

“Our campaign to bring the scanners to Sheffield will benefit patients across the region including those in Doncaster so it is great to have the support of people throughout South Yorkshire and beyond.”

To contact Neurocare email [email protected] or call 0114 2676464.