Mum, 29, with inoperable brain tumour in plea for research

A woman who gave birth two months after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour says research into the disease is "desperately needed".

Laura Mahon, 29, from St Helens, was 20 weeks pregnant when she was told she had cancer in September.

She underwent a planned Caesarean in November and gave birth to Sienna, who weighed 3lbs 4oz (1.54kg).

Ms Mahon said she was "doing everything she could" to raise awareness after being told she had two years to live.

She was initially admitted to hospital when she lost all feeling in her right leg.

Ms Mahon was transferred to the Walton Centre for an MRI scan and was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumour.

Doctors told her the tumour was likely to have been there for years and had started to grow.

"It was such a shock, I am only 29 and did not think something like this could happen to me," she said.

"I was so focused on the baby but I was getting more poorly."

At 30-weeks, Ms Mahon and her husband Danny said they went through "many heart-breaking conversations" and chose to undergo a planned Caesarean.

She described it as the "toughest decision of our lives".

Mr Mahon told BBC North West Tonight: "It was a catch 22. You want your wife to survive this but at the same time, the earlier you bring on your child, the more risk there was to Laura."

One month later, Ms Mahon was told she had inoperable stage 4 brain cancer and had two years to live.

"You can never prepare yourself for it. Hearing that said out loud was a moment we will never forget," Ms Mahon said.

She took Sienna home in January.

"It felt so surreal, like I was living two separate lives. Things all looked fine, we were a happy family, then I would remember how poorly I was," she said.

Ms Mahon added it was "so special" having Sienna with her and her husband.

"It is hard sometimes and I just break down. I see other people with GBMs who manage to live longer, so I am clinging to the idea that I might be one of them.

"I am fighting as hard as I can and I am staying strong for my family."

The Mahons are now working with Brain Tumour Research to try raise funding to tackle the disease.

Matthew Price, from the charity, said "too little" was known about the causes and "increased investment was vital".

He added: "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."

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