WHEN newspaper reporter Sharon Harris found she had lost her ability to string a sentence together it was a sign something wasn’t right.

Barry & District News' Sharon had been watching BBC Two’s Dragon’s Den to see how local Hot Diggidy Dog entrepreneur Simon Llewellyn got on – but when she started writing up the story that night it became obvious she was having problems.

The article’s introduction refused to flow and she heard a continuous alarm clock noise.

Morning brought three overlapping voices in the head – as she began to confide that something was wrong, others began urging her to go to hospital.

Miss Harris, of Cardiff, said: “I didn’t want to trouble the hospital or visit Boots so managed to get an emergency appointment with my GP’s practice, by which time I was unable to properly speak and the doctor thought I may have suffered a mini-stroke.

"I tried to convince myself an inner ear infection would be diagnosed and I would be sent home with antibiotics.

"In admissions a CT scan found a white mass in my brain.

"I took it quite calmly, I’d had neurosurgery for a pituitary micro-adenoma – which had presented Cushing’s Disease in 2003 – so the revelation was really that this was different and that one, which had a 20 per cent chance of recurring, hadn’t appeared.”

In admissions next day, she was given the impression the tumour was “most likely cancerous”.

A four-month investigation led to an apology and a promise doctor-patient communication procedures would be reviewed.

Miss Harris, 45, said: “All kinds of things went through my mind – was I going to drop dead any moment? Where did I put my bank details so my dad would be able to find them?

"There was a doughnut peach on the kitchen worktop – it was going to decay, flies would swarm out of the door, the neighbours would think I’d died.

"Emergency services would kick the door in – the trouble I would cause.

"There were unspent points on my Boots Advantage and Tesco card – what was I going to do with them?

"I’d not got married and had children, these are the things that entered my tumour-filled brain. I planned my funeral. I told people my songs.”

Miss Harris was told there were 24 people in front of her for an MRI scan and was advised not to return home.

She said: “So I discharged myself and spent fours hours at home gathering essentials possibly needed for a final hospital stay and watching Neighbours and Escape To The Country as you do when you think you’re dying.

“At the time I never knew it was the MRI scan that would reveal the nature of the tumour, but before the scan results appeared it was my retired GP, now friend, Dr Leslie Dingley and Bristol endocrinologist Prof Andy Levy who guessed, on the information I supplied, that I was dealing with a meningioma.

"Watching Dragon’s Den saved my life.”

The MRI scan showed a 31mm growth which had pressed on the brain resulting in the dysphasia which was affecting communication skills.

Miss Harris said: “It was the best tumour that you could possibly have if you’re going to have one.

"In retrospect, the signs were there.

"I’d had a seizure in April – put down to stress – and had left side twitches, a slight limp, and feint ringing in the left ear. I’d put it down to getting older.”

Following two cancellations, University Hospital of Wales neurosurgeon Mr Paul Leach removed the tumour and the biopsy revealed it was non-cancerous.

“It couldn’t have gone better once the operation took place,” Sharon said.

“I did walking circuits, with my FitBit, around the hospital grounds to achieve a daily 10,000 steps.

"I never lost any of my hair as my surgeon saw no need to shave the head.

"There was minimal pain and, with 23 clips, it was just a little sore with more of a bad hair week than bad hair day.

"There was just a bruise-like appearance on the face, and neck – I felt a complete fraud.”

Miss Harris, who was a Gamesmaker at the aquatic centre, Olympic Park, London 2012, and a member of The Pack volunteer team during the Rugby World Cup 2015, said: “I got lucky, but sadly others have less luck.

"I now plan to raise funds and awareness for three charities relevant to my cause – the Brain Tumour Charity, The Pituitary Foundation and Above & Beyond.

"I hope to take part in the 100th Vierdaagse marching event in Nijmegen, in July – an event I completed successfully last year before being diagnosed.

"I will also endeavour to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats in September and run the Cardiff Half Marathon in October.”

Consultant neurosurgeon, Paul Leach, who treated Sharon, said: “We discuss about 1,250 tumours a year in our multi disciplinary team in Cardiff and operate on about 450 tumours.

"Most people’s reactions are as you would expect, worry, anxiety and scared.

"It is important to explain that tumour does not necessarily mean cancer and a number of brain tumours are benign.

"Things have changed over time with improvements in technology especially with imaging.

"It is exciting that Cardiff has recently opened the new stereotactic radiosurgery service for more non-invasive treatments of some tumours.”

For more information about Miss Harris' fundraising efforts, check out her Facebook page – TeamSharon2016.

To sponsor Sharon, visit virginmoneygiving.com/TeamSharon2016

Brain Tumour Awareness Day is on Friday, March 4.