Ice skater's life saved from deadly brain tumour....

Ice skater's life saved after tumble reveals deadly brain tumour the size of a tennis ball

• Lisa wasn't showing any symptoms as a result of the brain growth

By Sadie Whitelocks

Last updated at 5:36 PM on 17th October 2011

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A figure skater discovered a deadly brain tumour the size of a tennis ball after falling on the ice.

Lisa Armitage, 30, from Grimsby suffered a concussion when she fell during a practice session and was rushed to hospital.

Following brain and MRI scans doctors spotted the mass in her head which, although not malignant would have eventually killed her.  

Dancing on ice: Lisa Armitage, 30, was saved after a skating accident revealed she had a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball, doctors are now ensuring it doesn't grow or alter

She was diagnosed with an extremely rare central neurocytoma -  a type of nervous system tumor - and operated on nine days later at Hull Royal Infirmary.

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Specialists say the growth was nothing to do with her fall last July and it could have started developing at birth. 

Lisa, who works as a finance manager and has been figure skating for three years, said: 'Its unbelievable that I had such a large tumour and had no symptoms, without the fall I wouldn't have known about it.

Discovery: A brain scan revealed the tumour which is highlighted here in the white shaded area

'It was falling on the ice that helped this tumour get discovered and ultimately saved my life.'

She was discharged after a majority of mass had been removed and she had received radiation therapy at Sheffield Royal Hallamshire hospital.

The therapy, also known as gamma knife surgery, is non-invasive and involves a high dose of radiation delivered to a very small area of the brain to kill the tumour, preventing damage to normal tissue, nerves and blood vessels.

As the growth, is attached to the wall of Lisa's brain, doctors cannot remove it in fear of damaging her sight or other brain functions.

Still smiling: Lisa says she feels lucky

Instead they are ensuring that the growth - which is now the size of a small strawberry - doesn't grow or alter. 


Lisa, who now has regular brain scans, added: 'My outlook has changed. Before I used to be so focused, but now I am just grateful to be doing the thing I love.

'I look back to the fall and I'm so glad it happened. The tumour would have grown more if it wasn't treated and it would've affected my vision.

'If it had not been detected when it was, it could have been too late and I could have died.'

Lisa, who finally finished her treatment in May this year, has decided to postpone her marriage to fiancé and skating coach Mark Wood, 25, until further tests next year determine if more treatment is needed.  


She is hoping to compete in figure skating competitions and was back on the ice just five months after the accident. 



'I used to practice four or five times a week, but now I just go twice a week for a couple of hours.

The slow growing grade two tumour, is so rare it accounts for less than one per cent of all brain tumours. 

Brain tumours can affect people of any age and around 4,500 new cases are reported in the UK each year.

Symptoms depend on size but if the mass causes increased pressure on the brain they can include epilepsy or fits, severe headaches, irritability, vomiting and partial loss of vision or hearing.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2050061/Ice-skaters-life-saved-tumble-reveals-deadly-brain-tumour-size-tennis-ball.html#ixzz1kO8Shmsz