A teenager diagnosed with an extremely rare brain tumour is raising funds for treatment that could help her see “more of life”.
Joscelyne Kerr, from Kinross, was finishing school in 2023 when she noticed the pupil in her eye had expanded so much that the colour was barely visible.
The 19-year-old had surgery to remove around 90% of the cancerous cells in a nerve controlling her left eye.
But the rest of it is inoperable.
It means she’s now looking to raise a quarter of million pounds for treatment that could extend her life.
STV News“It started the day after my prom,” Joscelyne told STV News.
“One of my friends joked my pupil had got really huge. That was in June and then by December 5 I was in surgery.”
Following Joscelyne’s operation, doctors found the remaining part of her tumour was wrapped around a main artery.
Supplied by familyThe University of Edinburgh astrophysics student was told she may only have 12 to 18 months to live.
“It could be a few years or a few months,” she said.
“Every four months when I go for my MRI it could be either or, but we try and stay positive until it doesn’t work.
“My mum’s amazing, she always finds a solution somehow.”
That solution could be a new immunotherapy treatment which creates a drug specifically tailored to fight a patient’s own cancer.
It won’t remove the core of Joscelyne’s tumour, but it could give her more time.
Supplied by family“It would mean I would have more of a certainty on living longer, getting to my goals,” said Joscelyne.
“Getting to see my sister get married, getting to see life.”
Her mum, Ann Kerr, added: “We know we can’t win, but we can play for time and we’re playing for time with any treatment we can.
“This treatment we’re hoping to get a couple years out of – if we can get the next treatment, it might buy us a few more years.
“There might be something else discovered.”
The cost of the treatment is around £250,000
Those who have dedicated their life to raising awareness of brain tumours say more investment is needed.
“We need to fund more, we need to put more money into research,” said Hugh Adams from Brain Tumour Research.
“We’ve got to do better for everyone diagnosed with a brain tumour.
“It’s a very complex disease but unless we try and understand it and put money into that arena, we won’t improve things and we’ve got to.”
Supplied by familyJoscelyne’s determined to do as much as she possibly can with the time she has left.
“My bucket list was scuba diving, sky diving and getting a pet micropig,” she said
“I’ve done two of the three!”
Her mum Ann replied: “You’re not getting a pig!”.
A crowdfunding effort has so far raised more than £100,000.
Joscelyne says she’s been overwhelmed by the response.
“My boyfriend’s little sister who is 14/15, she and all of her friends donated £2 from their pocket money.
“It makes me feel so loved that people care enough about me to want to give and want me to still be here.”
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