Liverpool woman told she was "stressed" by imaginary music actually had a brain tumour

A woman was diagnosed with a brain tumour after hearing imaginary music.

Emma Bond, 33, went to A&E and was told she was simply "a bit stressed" but more tests later revealed a brain tumour. It was causing words to sound like lyrics and making her hear music that wasn't there.

Devastated Emma had to postpone her wedding to have surgery a week before the big day, to remove 95 per cent of the mass. She then underwent six weeks of radiotherapy and a year of chemotherapy.

Emma and partner Edd Blake, 34, re-arranged their wedding and tied the knot and now she is stable.

The healthcare worker from Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, said: "I just started hearing music in my head. When people spoke, it was like they were singing lyrics to me.

"The same thing happened when I was with my mum later that day; I could see she was talking to me, but in my mind I could hear music, and I couldn’t understand what she was saying.

"When I found out it was because I had a brain tumour, I was terrified. I just wanted to know how it would affect me physically and mentally."

Emma wss working at North Manchester General Hospital in June 2019 when she first heard the music. Emma went to A&E at Warrington Hospital, but after a series of tests, she was told she was just stressed.

But the music kept coming back, and a later scan at St Helens Hospital showed that there was something on her brain. She was diagnosed with a grade 2 glioma in June 2019 and had surgery on August 9 - one week before her scheduled wedding.

Surgeons managed to remove 95 per cent of the tumour.

Emma then underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre on The Wirral.

"Having to postpone the wedding was just another thing added to a list of unfortunate things and it made me very sad," she said. "Many of the wedding guests still came to visit me though, which was so lovely.

"The doctors thought I was hearing the music because I was having focal sensory auditory seizures, so I now take anti-seizure medication. Since the surgery, it hasn’t happened again.

"My consultant in Liverpool, Dr May, is brilliant; she always has the time to discuss everything thoroughly and honestly with me. She is a great support."

Emma and Edd re-arranged their wedding and tied the knot on 17 July 2021. Emma now has MRI scans every six months. Her most recent scan in February was stable.

Edd said: “When Emma was diagnosed, I was so scared. When she went into surgery, I was worried how it would affect her but as soon as I saw her afterwards, she smiled and I knew she was ok."