Charlotte's Brain Tumour Journey Diagnosis to Death: 951 days Age 19 18.2.97 - 24.2.16 13 years ago: 15th September 2013 Today Charlotte was having another MRI to see whether the tumours had increased in size since her last scan. I hated having her MRIs in our local hospital because I wasn't allowed to go in with her. As a mum, it was incredibly difficult to watch her disappear through those doors and have to wait outside, unable to be with her. When the results came back, we were relieved to hear that the tumours had not grown and, importantly, they weren't pushing against anything else in her brain.For the moment, that was good news. Charlotte was eating and drinking, which was another positive. Later in the evening, a lovely doctor came to see us because Charlotte was experiencing a lot of pain in her shoulders. Looking back, I think much of this pain was also connected to her anxiety, which was extremely high at the time. There was so much uncertainty and fear, and her body was carrying the strain of everything she was going through. The doctor suggested trying acupuncture. He only had a handful of needles left, but he wanted to use them for Charlotte. The irony wasn't lost on us. Charlotte had a very real fear of needles, and normally the thought of having needles put into her would have terrified her. But somehow, she coped incredibly well. Then something wonderful happened.She started smiling. It might seem like such a small thing, but after everything Charlotte had been through, seeing that smile was huge. For a few moments, she wasn't the frightened girl lying in a hospital bed. She was just Charlotte and seeing her smile gave me a little moment of hope. This is why I continue to tell Charlotte's story. This is why brain tumour research matters & this is why we continue to support research through Charlotte's BAG.If you would like to support a self-funding brain tumour charity, please pop a pound in Charlotte's BAG. 100% of every donation goes directly to brain tumour research in Charlotte's Lab at King's College Hospital, London. No salaries. No overheads. No advertising. No merchandise. Just fundraising for research. For hope. charlottesbag.org/