A mum-of-three living with a brain tumour faces an anxious wait to see if treatment to prolong her life can take place amid the pandemic.
Katie Wilkinson, 35, was diagnosed with the cancer while pregnant last year and has already undergone surgery and radiotherapy.
She is currently part-way through a course of chemotherapy – but is unsure whether she can continue following the outbreak of COVID-19.
She was due to start her sixth cycle later this month but now faces a period of uncertainy – and fears leaving her children “without their mummy”.
Katie lives in Somerset with husband Daniel, a GP, and kids Sofia, Hugo and Mario.
The family are currently isolating together while Daniel works from home and she works with charity Brain Tumour Research to raise awareness about her condition.
Katie said: “My tumour is a grade three anaplastic astrocyctoma which had grown to the size of two golf balls on the frontal lobe of my brain.
“No-one wants to do chemo but I know that I have to get on with it in order to prolong my life.
“I will do whatever I have to in order to be with my family for as long as possible and my worst fear is leaving my children behind.
“The children who we love so much and who I can’t even bear to think may have to grow up without their mummy.
“Treatment has left me with suppressed immunity and so I am high-risk should I contract COVID-19.
“I feel very vulnerable and know that doctors are likely to have to make difficult decisions on who to treat and who not to treat during this dreadful outbreak.
“Being a young mum, I would hope health professionals would still choose me.
“However, having a brain tumour makes things more complicated and it’s less likely they would choose me over an otherwise healthy person.
“That is a frightening thought.
“I feel as if we are being thrown challenge after challenge and I just wish that somehow, someone somewhere would give us a break.
“There are only so many times you can keep picking yourself up.”
Hugh Adams, spokesman for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Sadly, we know that Katie is not alone. Some 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.
“Like many charities, our finances are under immense pressure but brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and we will continue to fight to change this.”