A South Ayrshire woman with a brain tumour is donning a hat to help fund research to find a cure for the disease.

Lynn McMorrow, 64, from Ayr, was diagnosed with an inoperable meningioma in 2018.

She is taking part in Wear A Hat Day for the charity Brain Tumour Research on Friday, March 31.

Lynn, who is a great-grandmother of six, said: “I was devastated when I was told I had a brain tumour.

"I didn’t know what to do. It was awful being told that it was inoperable because the procedure would have been too risky.”

In 2018, Lynn was having severe headaches and she noticed her eyesight was deteriorating.

She said: “I went to my GP and he said I had cluster headaches. The problems continued so I was referred to an eye specialist at University Hospital Ayr but he just put it down to the fact I have fibromyalgia.

"I was being sick every morning when I woke up and I just knew that something wasn’t right. I eventually had an MRI scan which found the tumour.”

Lynne underwent a course of radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow.

Without it, she said she would be "totally blind”. Her most recent MRI scan in January 2023 was stable.

She said: “That was such brilliant news. It just gives me hope which is so important. I just want to stay positive and keep fighting this devastating disease.”

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Wear A Hat Day encourages people to don hats of all shapes and sizes on the last Friday in March as part of its flagship Wear a Hat Day fundraiser, which has raised more than £2 million to help fund vital research into brain tumours. 

Lynn said: “It’s so important for me to do this because I want to give something back. Brain tumours are massively underfunded and it’s vital that more money is raised so more research can be done to help find better treatments and ultimately a cure.”

Wear A Hat Day funds are also essential in helping the charity maximise its campaigning to increase the UK investment in brain tumour research, working with UK governments and the larger cancer charities, influencing brain tumour research policies at the highest levels.

Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Lynn for taking part in Wear A Hat Day as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like her who are forced to fight this awful disease.

“People can get involved in Wear A Hat Day in so many fun and easy ways, the list really is endless. Wear a hat and hold a walk, a party, a quiz night or a bake sale. Or get your thinking cap on and come up with something totally unique.”

People are invited to pop a hat on, make a donation and take a selfie to share on social media using #WearAHatDay. T

o take part as a community, school or workplace visit www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/wear-a-hat-day.