A woman whose brain tumour robbed her of the ability to taste and smell has spoken out to help others spot the signs and live life to the fullest.

Michelle Francis, from Dartford, was diagnosed with a 7cm large brain tumour on New Year’s Eve.

Michelle Francis shares her experience after being diagnosed with a brain tumour

Before then the 47-year-old experienced blurred vision, ringing in her ears, numbness in her foot and hand, dizzy spells, low mood and tiredness for 18 months.

But she did not know what was causing these symptoms and initially attributed it to coronavirus.

"I thought it was because I had no motivation to do work because of Covid," she explained. "I started to get symptoms of very low mood and was being very abrupt with people. I lost my confidence driving.

"I was not me at all, I am normally quite a considerate person. I felt like a dark cloud was over me. My boiler packed up and I left it for five weeks which was not like me."

She added: "I did not wash, I pushed everyone away. I did not go to work and I would not even ring in. I could not be in any social situations."

Michelle went to see her GP who treated her for sinusitis, and also paid visits to the opticians and received counselling.

But it was not until she suffered a seizure in December that she discovered she had a grade 2 meningioma – tumours that start in the layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord.

She was first treated for vertigo and the paramedic at her surgery sent her for a CT scan.

On New Year's Eve, Michelle and her partner Dave were told she had a 7cm tumour which was pushing down on the left side of her brain on an optic nerve – causing the symptoms and changed behaviour.

Michelle said: "I had not cried for a year and a half. I tried prodding my fingers in my eyes to make myself cry. It suppressed all my emotions.

"When I got told I did not cry, I just soldiered on. But it was a concern as I needed to touch base with my feelings."

"I had not cried for a year and a half. I tried prodding my fingers in my eyes to make myself cry."

Michelle was taken to Darent Valley Hospital for just under two weeks but was sent home while they waited for a bed. She was later transferred to King's College Hospital in London for six days.

The 47-year-old underwent a craniotomy – surgery to remove part of the bone from the skull to reveal the brain – in January and dislodge part of the tumour.

She had 40 staples in her head and required a blood transfusion. Michelle later developed an infection in her wound which needed further surgery in April.

But despite the life-changing diagnosis Michelle says it has now given her a new lust for life.

Michelle added: "I want to shout it from the roof tops, I am alive. It was life-changing but I am not going to be a victim.

"I am living the life I want to live. It makes me reflect on life and I am not going to let this be me. At the age of 47, you do not predict to have an illness like this.

"My family, friends and neighbours have been amazing. It has allowed me to reconnect with them, particularly my mum."

Michelle is now recovering but explained it is not a quick process. Some of the tumour is still in her brain because if it was removed she would go blind.

This means she must have regular check-ups and there is the possibility of regrowth.

She said: "I have lost my sense of taste and smell and if someone drops something near me, I get a circuit spark in my head which causes me to shudder.

"Because you lose your taste, you can potentially lose too much weight or put too much on. You could also become an alcoholic because you are not tasting things.

"What I am learning to do is when I am hungry I eat, I graze. I have lost a bit of weight but I have to keep an eye on that.

"It is the zest of life wanting to taste food, I love food and I keep telling my partner I am going to be a cheap date. I have got my appetite back but just cannot taste anything."

Michelle's senses may not return but she said there are some positives to her illness.

"I am also feeling more creative," she add. "My neuro trauma counsellor said this could be the result of my tumour activating the artistic part in the right-hand side of my brain."

She is also looking forward to returning to her job as one of the assistant managers of a day service for adults with learning difficulties, although is considering a career change as part of her recovery.

On Friday Michelle donned a flowery hat and encouraged others to do the same as part of a Brain Tumour Research charity’s fundraiser.

For the event she sold toys, clothing, cupcakes and books from a stall outside her home in Chatsworth Road.

Among the items for sale was her children's book which she penned called "Tanty Anita The Roti Seller".

Michelle added: "There are a lot of people with brain tumours and probably many more, like me, who are walking around with one they know nothing about.

"I feel like I am alive now and I want to tell the world about it, which is why I want to fundraise and raise awareness for the charity."

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: "Michelle has had a tough year and it is admirable that she has been able to turn her experience into something positive to help others."

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.

You can donate to Michelle's fundraiser here.

The charity funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK and campaigns for the government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

It is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia and is also campaigning for greater repurposing of drugs.