Lisa's Story

 

My name is Lisa Connell. I am 28 years old, from North London. I have recently been diagnosed with a Brain Tumour.

 

I was first diagnosed in August 2006 after suffering with my balance and vision. I was sent by my optician to Moorfield's Eye Hospital where I was given an MRI scan a few weeks later.

 

My MRI Scan showed that I had a Benign Meningioma growing in the centre of my brain.

 

Following my diagnosis I then had several more opinions from top surgeons all around the country. All of which came up with the same conclusion.

 

During the months of February to December 2006, I gradually deteriorated. My walking became impaired. I was unable to move from my home without supervision. I was experiencing double vision and decreased depth perception which resulted in frequent falls and injuries. I also suffered with server head aches due to the pressure being generated on my brain. My level of energy was somewhat low giving symptoms of fatigue. My memory also suffered.

 

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

I was told that I may never walk properly again, or recover. The National Health's advice to me was to relax, take it easy and to avoid stress!

 

In October 2006 I was introduced to a friend of my father Mr Tony Blake. Tony changed my life for the better. It was Tony who made me analyse my circumstances and actually get up and do something about it.

 

Tony was diagnosed 10 years prior with having a Benign Meningioma and also suffered from the same symptoms. Tony, like me is a very strong and determined character and through exercise and healthy eating he managed the symptoms of his brain tumour and is leading a normal life.

 

Tony's advice to me was not to sit back and to let the tumour take over me as the National Health advised. In fact it was to do the total opposite, eat well and get fit. Seeing Tony that day lifted my spirit greatly. He appeared to live a normal life even though he still lives with a Brain Tumour.

 

With this advice my father gave me membership to David Lloyd. I went five times a week working very closely with one of the fitness instructors, Andreas Kyriakou. He offered his own time to me to get me on the path to recovery. We worked together on balance exercises along with co-ordination skills and muscle strengthening. Within one month I was back on my feet again!

 

Having spent all this time in my gym I started training for a 10k run. In July 2007 I ran in the Great British 10k London Run and passed the finish line in 1 hour 15 minutes raising just over £3,000.00 for the charity. Considering I was told I would never walk properly again this had to be one of my biggest achievements, that was down to two men. Tony Blake & Andreas Kyriakou. I can not thank either of you enough, so thank you!

 

Since the race I have been making it my personal goal to create awareness of Brain Tumours within the UK. I have been working very closely with the charity Brain Tumour UK in helping to raise both awareness and funds for the cause and I will continue to do so for as long as I shall live.

 

That is where Rent a Date for Charity came in. I had an idea which stemmed from my Myspace Account. I put myself and my cousin Luke on the site and offered people a chance to win a date with us. The rules stated that the person who donated the most amount of money onto the Justgiving Website within that week won the date.

 

The idea soon became common knowledge with a little push from my end. Hence the launch of my new site.

 

The aim is to have as many candidates registered bringing as much traffic to the site as possible and spreading the word of Brain Tumours around the world.

To help with raising awareness I am hoping to have one or two celebrities up for auction each week.

 

Proceeds from the auctions will then be transferred to the Justgiving Website. I have chosen to use the justgiving site as a holder of these funds to show everyone bidding that the money raised is actually going where I say it is. We will however, retain a small percentage of these funds for administration and maintenance costs involved with the website.

Lisa Connell

Comments

[Unknown]

Hi Lisa,

You realy are more beautiful then Demi. Please don't change. I think you should use the money with its origional intent in mind.

You are an inspiration to many people around the world. Thank You!

[Unknown]

Hi Lisa you are a brilliant, beautiful and brave woman.

Thanks for your success.......

[Christine]

DEAR LISA,
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A TUMOUR ON MY LEFT KIDNEY, MY LEFT KIDNEY ALSO HAS A CLUSTER OF CYSTS INSIDE IT.I RESEARCHED A PRODUCT THAT IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE, The Tree of Life meaning the leaves of the Olive Tree which have powerful compounds that will actually go after everything bad in your body and leave the good flora alone.Since I discovered OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT I no longer require pain killers for my tumour, I know it will be great news when I go back for my next CT scan.Olive LEAF EXTRACT CAPSULES MAY BE PURCHASED AT MOST HEALTH FOOD STORES I GET MINE AT GNC IN CANADA.Please research this product it will SHRINK your Tumour. It has some die off effects they are minor and this a positive sign the product is working.You will be amazed at this product. Jesus said pertaining to the Tree of Life,"The fruit meaning the olives shall be meat and the leaves shall be medicine.

[Emma Ellis]

hey Lisa, you should try and get david cook involved with your efforts. He was the american idol winner last year and recently ran the washington dc 5K race for hope in honor of his brother who died the night before of a brain tumor. he works closely with ABC2 and has just released a charity version of his song permanent which was written about his brother, with all proceeds going to ABC2, song here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw730VmshbE

[Faith]

you are a brilliant, beautiful and brave woman.

::hugs::

[gentlegiant]

hi lisa i truely donnt think you need the surgery as i think you are a stunner as you are and that to have a makeover would only ruin what god has given to you

[Michelle]

Hey Lisa, my name is michelle, i am from Los Angeles California in the USA. I work for the Television show the doctors, it is an American medical talk show aired on CBS. We have come across your site, we are so sorry to hear about your situation, you are in out thoughts and prayers. Your story was very interesting to us and we were wondering if you would like to speak on our show. We wanted to do a phone in with you. Please contact me on my email if you are or arent interested, we would greatly appreciate it! thank you so much and i hope to hear from you soon!

[Morgan Smith]

I wish you the best of luck, but I don't think you need surgery to get over your low self-esteem, I think you need counseling. I'm not trying to be rude or condescending, I just wish that you could have high self esteem about your own beauty instead of changing it. I think you are a very beautiful woman, the only "ugly" thing I see about you is that you don't see it yourself. Good luck to you however.

[Bruce Candelaria]

Hi Lisa,
You realy are more beautiful then Demi. Please don't change. I think you should use the money with its origional intent in mind.
You are an inspiration to many people around the world. Thank You!

[Rich]

Lisa,

I am sorry to hear about your situation and I respect you decision to do what it is that makes you happy. However, I have to tell you that maybe Demi Moore should be having surgery to look like you! You are a very beautiful woman.

[Melissa Huggins]

Hi Lisa,

My name is Melissa and Ive just come across your website. Ive spent many hours trailing the internet trying to find someone who is about the same age as me. I am 27 and was diagnosed with a Grade 2 Ependymoma nearly 3 years ago. I had 2 brain operations and these were thankfully a success so I havent as of yet needed any radiotherapy. Reading your website - I can relate to your symptoms and although mine are no longer so I really do know how you feel. Im sure you get hundreds of emails like this, but I think what youre doing is fantastic. Youre a gorgeous girl and I really admire you. x

[alex]

Hello Lisa, and congratulations on your marathon success! You have achieved in a short period of time something more valuable than what some people achieve over many decades! That is commendable. Do you know Paracelsus Clink, Lustmuhle, Switzerland? [website : www.paracelsus.ch] This centre uses Integrated Medicine ; doctors are qualified in "orthodox" and in "alternative" medicine / health and aim to combine and apply the best practises of each, offering diagnosis / therapies / treatments and lifestyle programs (inc diet)as part of a holistic approach to improving health as well as slowing or regressing illnesses. I was not a patient myself but I know from different sources that this place has a very high reputation internationally. As a guest of a patient, some patients I met there with "terminal illness" told me of improvement in their condition. Some were American who were there because orthodox methods did not succeed for them and in the US such clinics did not exist due to laws there which did not recognise benefits of alternative approaches to treating illnesses(maybe things have changed a bit since then, 3 years ago) I have been advised of the high standing and advanced approach of this clinic by individuals outside of the clinic. It would seem that results can go beyond health promotion and disease prevention with which complementary therapy in the UK is associated. Doctors at the clinic itself seemingly advise that for the best success rate clients / patients visit the clinis before they start chemotherapy. However, I was also told it is used by certain government(s) as a last resort when their orthodox approach does not succeed. As I have not been a client / patient myself, I can neither recommend it nor advise against but I am relaying to you information which was passed to me from different sources. Hope this might be of some help. All the best