A young mum who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 34 weeks pregnant is now getting ready to marry the love of her life before her health deteriorates. Bethany Wright has even made a “memory box” for baby boy Alfie in case she isn’t there to see him grow up.
With the help of a charity hero, the 26-year-old Glasgow mum is set to marry fiance Cameron, 29, next year, with a Valentine’s Day wedding in the south side of the city on the horizon. She told our sister title Glasgow Live how she “needs to prepare” for the inevitable as there is currently no cure for her condition.
The aggressive tumour was found after Bethany, a community nurse, was taken to hospital with severe headaches in March 2024. Doctors initially thought she had pre-eclampsia – a pregnancy complication that causes high blood pressure – but scans showed a six centimetre mass on her brain, which would require surgery to remove.
After being told she could not have the operation while pregnant, Bethany gave birth to her son Alfie on March 28, then underwent the procedure to remove part of the tumour in August.
Surgeons were able to remove 85 per cent of the tumour. However, tests confirmed it was a grade three astrocytoma – a fast-growing tumour in the central nervous system. She went on to have 33 sessions of radiotherapy, and is currently undergoing her second cycle of chemotherapy.
Bethany, who is originally from Belfast, said she is in a “hard place at the moment”, with treatment making her very ill and stopping her from doing everyday tasks and having a social life. She added: “Do I carry on the chemo or do I stop it? But, I know if I stop the chemo things are going to progress.
“My last scan wasn’t promising, it’s not the best of situations to be honest. But I’m staying determined for Alfie, I need to be here to see him grow up. I’ve been told that if nothing gets me before that, that’s what will prematurely end my life”.
Fiance Cameron proposed last September during a romantic St Andrews getaway after they got together in 2022. They are now planning a 2026 wedding with the help of kind stranger Shane Yerrell, who has raised more than £200,000 for people in need.
Shane, who is Mayor of Waltham Abbey in Essex, is fundraising to make sure they have everything they need for their big day. He found Bethany’s story of making a memory box for Alfie heartbreaking, so offered his support. Bethany has said she is “so touched” by his kindness.
She also shared how she feels “robbed of motherhood” after her diagnosis, saying she hasn’t been able to attend any groups for parents and babies, and finds it difficult to see other young mums online enjoying being out with their little ones.
She added: “I’m only 26, I find it so hard to go online and see everybody my age going out with their partners for dinner and drinks or mums going to baby groups – I feel like Alfie and I have missed out because I have not been well enough.
“That’s one of the hardest things, I feel like I’ve failed him. He’s doing brilliant but he hasn’t been able to interact with other babies“.
However, she remains incredibly determined, saying: “I just want to see Alfie grow up. I’ve seen how my diagnosis has affected everyone around me, I just need to be here.
“I understand there’ll be a time where it’ll catch up to me properly and I just need to be prepared for that but anything I can do to prolong that I will do – but it is proving difficult with the chemo, I am not finding it easy.”
A JustGiving page has been set up for the couple’s wedding pot, with all donations going towards making sure they have everything they need and more for their special day. Bethany has now shared a message for other people, urging them to “fight for yourself” if they feel something isn’t as it should be with their health.
She said: “Throughout my life I have had symptoms relating to the tumour – suggesting I have had it for a length of time. People know their own bodies, if you feel something is off then fight for yourself.
“There is no NHS screening process for brain tumours so it’s often missed or diagnosed too late – so make sure to push for answers if you feel something is wrong”.
To donate to Bethany and Cameron’s fundraiser, please click here.
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