SunLive – Ella’s terror and her vow to support others

It came out of the blue and left one Mount Maunganui family in the dark.

Now Ella Weatherall, a local lifeguard and teenager at Mount Maunganui College, wants to shed light on how a brain tumor changed her life this year and the steps she is taking to help others.

Weatherall’s nightmare began in April when the then 16-year-old suffered virus-like symptoms for a week, which literally came to a head on Friday, April 19.

As symptoms persisted, she was taken to Tauranga Hospital for further tests and was on her way to Waikato Hospital by ambulance within hours after scans revealed a brain tumor in her cerebellum. “It was really scary,” Weatherall said.

“One moment I was doing everything a normal teenager should do, and the next moment I was in the hospital surrounded by tubes and machines.

“I can barely remember the first few days, but one thing I do remember is the support of my family and friends who helped me get through those really tough days.”

The first few days required around-the-clock monitoring, followed by an MRI scan that showed the seriousness of the situation, but also hope – the tumor was right next to the brain stem but not quite touching it.

On Wednesday, Weatherall was wheeled into an operating room.

“The eight hours of surgery were one of the longest days of our lives,” recalls father Mark Weatherall, who waited the entire time in the hospital with Weatherall’s mother, Annette Weatherall, and her brother, Flynn.

“We all went through a range of emotions and it was so hard, but we knew she was in the best hands so all we could do was wait.”

Doctors released Weatherall’s neck muscles and removed part of her skull to get to the tumor, which they removed and then put her head back together.

Ella Weatherall underwent surgery for a brain tumor. Photo / Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media.

The operation was a success and the doctors were quietly sure that they had got everything, and initial observations suggested that the tumor was not malignant, but only histology could prove that.

This led to longer wait times as Weatherall’s vast network of friends and family waited.

Teenage friends couldn’t believe it had happened to someone they knew, and their parents were distraught because they knew how hard it would be for any parent to have to go through something like that with their child.

“We are eternally grateful for the love and support we have received – this is the stuff that gets us through difficult times,” Mark and Annette said now.

Subsequent testing gave the tumor an official diagnosis: pilocytic astrocytoma. To the relief of friends and loved ones, this meant it was harmless.

But that was just the first step in Weatherall’s journey. The recovery from surgery was excruciating, particularly due to the trauma to her neck muscles.

And like the worst concussion imaginable, the invasion of her brain resulted in her body no longer wanting to do what it was once capable of, impairing fine motor skills, for example.

Even now she is still plagued by persistent headaches. She still gets tired and needs lots of rest.

“But I know I’m one of the lucky ones and I’m so grateful for the support that has helped me,” Weatherall said.

As a lifeguard with the Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club, Weatherall spent many of his teenage years volunteering and saving lives.

And now she’s set her sights on raising money for brain tumor research by training for and attempting to complete a half marathon in November. She hopes to use her own journey to recovery to help others.

“We love Weatherall’s attitude, bravery, determination and gratitude,” said her proud parents.

“She is very aware that she is one of the lucky ones, but at heart she is a helper and wants to care for others who find themselves in a similar situation.”

To support Weatherall with your cause and for more information, visit the following link: