Tragic mother who thought the whirring sound in her right ear was tinnitus is diagnosed with brain cancer after doctors find tumour

• Denise Wingfield, 55, diagnosed with grade 2 oligodendroglioma 
• Bristol mum has had six weeks of radiotherapy and four rounds of chemotherapy

A mum who mistook a whirring sound in her right ear for tinnitus was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Denise Wingfield, 55, struggled to sleep because of the dull, ‘funny’ noise and was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who told her she had tinnitus.

But following an MRI, doctors found an anomaly on her brain and a month later Denise underwent a nine hour awake craniotomy.

After the procedure, the mum-of-three from Bristol was diagnosed with grade 2 oligodendroglioma – a rare brain tumour.

Ms Wingfield had a further surgery following complications from the craniotomy, as well as six weeks of radiotherapy and four rounds of chemotherapy.

She is still being monitored by doctors today after a recent scan in January 2024 showed the tumour had grown.

Ms Wingfield, a previous kitchen assistant at a care home, said: ‘I had no symptoms other than a funny noise in my ear.

What is tinnitus? 

Tinnitus is the name for hearing noises that do not come from an outside source. 

A person may hear a ringing, buzzing or hissing sound in one or both ears, or in their head. 

These sounds may come and go, or you might hear them all the time. 

It is not always clear what causes tinnitus, but it is often linked to some form of hearing loss. 

It is also linked with conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders or multiple sclerosis, as well as anxiety and depression.

‘When I tried to sleep at night it seemed louder although it was there all the time – I never for a moment imagined it was caused by a brain tumour.

‘Due to my tumour being slow growing, my medical team want to wait for further growth before they place me on another treatment plan – including a less brutal version of chemotherapy.

‘Although it’s scary to know that it is still growing, I am being scanned regularly which offers some comfort.’

Ms Wingfield was referred to a specialist in October 2019 and was diagnosed with grade 2 oligodendroglioma in November of the same year.

She struggles with fatigue and minor balance issues but is passionate about raising money for Brain Tumour Research.

Last month she hosted a coffee morning for Wear a Hat Day and, in May, Ms Wingfield will be doing a ‘200k in May’ challenge.

She can run, jog, run, cycle and swim the distance over the month for Brain Tumour Research. 

Ms Wingfield said: ‘Walking has become quite therapeutic for me. I’m able to put on my headphones with some music and get on with putting one front of the other, being mindful in the moment.

‘I’ve found myself wanting to live my life to the full.

‘In the years since surgery, I have travelled and taken part in adrenaline fuelled activities including a zip wire with my son from the end of Bournemouth pier to the beach.’

Louise Aubrey, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: ‘Sadly Denise’s story is not unique.

‘In the UK, 16,000 people each year are diagnoses with a brain tumour, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2022.’