A mother-of-three has shared how a tiny, seemingly harmless spot on her back became the first sign of aggressive stage 4 cancer.
Gemma Allen, 42, was balancing full-time work and raising her three children when a medical appointment last October revealed nine tumors in her brain — including one as large as a golf ball.
Her ordeal started just days after a weekend getaway with her best friend, when her husband noticed a small mark on her back. At first, they thought it was just a simple spot, but soon she began experiencing unusual sensations.
“I woke up and thought, ‘Who’s touching my arm?’ but it was my own hand — I just couldn’t feel it,” Gemma told MailOnline.
The strange pins-and-needles sensation worsened rapidly. She found it difficult to type at work, her fingers fumbled when trying to fix her hair, and her sister—who is also her colleague—encouraged her to get checked out.
After struggling to secure a GP appointment for weeks, Gemma called NHS 111 and was advised to go straight to A&E.
At the hospital, initial tests almost led to her being sent home. However, at the last moment, a doctor recommended a head scan “just to rule anything sinister out.”
Gemma Allen, 42, was balancing full-time work, family life, and raising three children when a medical appointment last October revealed nine tumors. Pictured with her three sons.
The ordeal started just days after a weekend trip with her best friend, when her husband spotted a small mark on her back. They shrugged it off as nothing more than a spot—until she began experiencing a strange sensation.
Within just five days, a scan showed the largest tumor had grown rapidly—by 10mm in less than a week—forcing her to face immediate surgery or risk permanent loss of mobility.
Gemma and her husband, Steve, pictured on their wedding day.
“I was literally on the phone in the waiting room when they came out and said, ‘You might want to put your call on hold.’ Then they told me, ‘We’ve found a mass on your brain.’ Right there, in the waiting room.
My whole world instantly flipped upside down—I couldn’t breathe or think for a moment. Everything just stopped.”
Initially, doctors suspected lung cancer after spotting nodules on her lungs. But when they biopsied the spot on her back—the one her husband had first noticed—they confirmed it was melanoma, a form of skin cancer that had aggressively spread to her brain and lungs.
“They confirmed I had nine brain tumors. The largest was 35mm—the rest were smaller, but they were all there.”
Because the tumors were located in the right hemisphere of her brain—which controls the left side of the body—her neurological symptoms made sense.
She began treatment immediately with targeted tablet therapy designed for her specific cancer mutation.
The treatment worked quickly: within weeks, her sensation returned, and she was able to type normally again. But the relief was short-lived.
In April, just five months later, Gemma began experiencing intense headaches and vision disturbances.
In April, only five months later, Gemma started suffering from severe headaches and vision problems. Pictured with her son.
During surgery, an electrode was implanted in her brain and sensors were attached to her limbs to help preserve her movement.
She has since made progress, albeit slowly—her leg recovered faster than her arm. She now walks with the aid of a frame and must focus intensely on every step.
Within just five days, a scan revealed that the largest tumor had grown by 10mm in less than a week, forcing Gemma to face immediate surgery or risk permanent loss of mobility.
“They told me if they didn’t operate right away, I’d lose the use of my left side forever. But even the surgery was risky—it was wedged between the parts of my brain that control movement and sensation.”
Doctors discovered eight smaller tumors alongside the large one, bringing the total to nine.
During surgery, an electrode was implanted in her brain and sensors attached to her limbs to help preserve her movement.
“When I woke up, I looked at my hand and couldn’t move it. I was terrified I’d be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.”
Since then, Gemma has made slow but steady progress—her leg recovered more quickly than her arm. She now walks with the help of a frame and must focus intensely on every step.
“I used to run around after my kids. Now, I have to concentrate just to walk from one room to another.”
Gemma was told her cancer is incurable but may be manageable, with new immunotherapy treatments offering hope to extend her life.
“The statistics say 55 percent of people live for six years on the new treatments—maybe longer. But it’s early days, and no one really knows.”
Her friends have started a GoFundMe campaign to create a garden for Gemma to enjoy during this difficult time.
Now, as she rebuilds her strength, she’s determined to live in the moment and raise awareness that a “little spot” could be something far more serious.
“You never think it’ll happen to you. I didn’t. I was just a busy mum, going about life—and then suddenly, I had nine brain tumors.”
