A MUM-OF-TWO who found out she had brain cancer while she was pregnant has urged the Government to ramp up research funding.

Rachael Wood, from Colchester, was 29 weeks pregnant with her son Harrison when she started having seizures in March last year.

She was initially diagnosed with a suspected low-grade tumour before it was later identified as grade four astrocytoma.

She said: “I was on the stroke ward for a week before the doctors decided it was safe for me to have an MRI.

Gazette: Scary - Rachael Wood was pregnant with her son Harrison when she was told she had brain cancerScary - Rachael Wood was pregnant with her son Harrison when she was told she had brain cancer (Image: Brain Tumour Research)

“That’s when I found out I had a brain tumour and it was during Covid so I was on my own at the time.”

The 36-year-old spent a month in hospital and suffered uncontrolled epilepsy as a result of a drug she was given, but, thankfully, Harrison was born healthy in June 2022.

Rachael, who is also mum to Bella, five, underwent a debulking surgery and is now undergoing a six-month course of chemotherapy.

The bridal consultant said: “My husband Jamie and I are just taking it day by day at the moment, but it’s hard because Bella knows something’s wrong.

Gazette: Together - Rachael Wood with husband Jamie in ColchesterTogether - Rachael Wood with husband Jamie in Colchester (Image: Brain Tumour Research)

Gazette: Love - Rachael Wood and daughter Bella, fiveLove - Rachael Wood and daughter Bella, five (Image: Brain Tumour Research)

“We’ve explained to her as best we can but the treatments are so brutal that I’m recovering from them a lot of the time.

“I’ve gone from being independent, running around and going to work, to needing to sleep during the day. It’s just not fair.”

Now Rachael is campaigning alongside charity Brain Tumour Research to help its petition to increase research funding reach 100,000 signatures, in the hope of prompting a Parliamentary debate.

The charity is calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kickstart an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028.

Gazette: Tough - Rachael and BellaTough - Rachael and Bella (Image: Brain Tumour Research)

Rachael added: “I want to be there for my children as they grow up and know my only hope lies in finding a cure.

“I’ve signed the petition and would encourage others to do the same because money for research is desperately needed and time is not on our side.”

To sign the petition, visit: bit.ly/43ahfCi.