57-year-old woman ignored headaches for months until her Apple Watch alert led to shocking brain tumour diagnosis | Health
After enduring one heartbreak after another, 57-year-old Sam Adams thought she had already faced the worst life could throw at her. Within months, she had lost her father, her beloved dog, and seen her marriage fall apart. But just as she began to rebuild, an unexpected health scare revealed a condition that would change everything. (Also read: 29-year-old woman with ‘healthiest diet’ shares she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer: ‘My body started giving signs’ )
Sam, from near Brighton, East Sussex, recalls how 2020 was the year that broke her. She cared for her father in his final weeks, mourned the sudden death of her dog, and tried to cope with a collapsing marriage. “The grief was unbearable. It shook my sense of who I was and left me paralysed,” she explains. “I felt like I was drowning emotionally. Depression set in, and I hit rock bottom,” she told The Sun.
After spending 2021 slowly piecing herself back together, Sam decided on a solo trip to Costa Rica in 2022, a journey she describes as a turning point. Immersing herself in nature and practising daily breathwork helped her reset. “I fell in love with the trees, with being outdoors. That trip gave me back a sense of peace and clarity,” she says.
How did a simple watch warning change everything?
But just two weeks after returning home, things took a turn. She had bumped her head abroad and brushed off the dizziness and fatigue that followed as jet lag. “I had no energy, my head ached, and my Apple Watch kept warning that my heart rate was too low,” she recalls. Initially dismissing it, Sam finally went to a pharmacist for a blood pressure check. Within hours, her GP called, warning her to avoid exertion and to dial 999 if she experienced chest, shoulder, or jaw pain.
The following day, an ECG revealed her heart was producing extra beats, a condition called cardiac ectopy. Usually harmless, it can occasionally become dangerous. Doctors ordered further tests, including a CT scan, to rule out other issues.
How did she discover brain tumour
That scan uncovered something Sam could never have expected: a brain tumour. “It was earth-shattering,” she says. “I sat on my sofa in shock and phoned my sister. I was suddenly face-to-face with my own mortality. I was terrified to go to sleep in case I wouldn’t wake up.”
Doctors reassured Sam that the tumour was likely benign but inoperable because of its location. It would need lifelong monitoring, along with daily aspirin to reduce risk. Her heart, meanwhile, required treatment. In August 2022, she underwent an ablation procedure to correct the strain on her heart. The ordeal, performed without sedation, was “horrific,” Sam recalls.
How is she living with ‘Timmy’ today
Today, Sam refers to her tumour as “Timmy,” though she admits it is a constant source of worry. “If I lose balance, I panic. I’ve coined the term ‘scanxiety’ for the fear I feel before and after every hospital check-up.” She also battles fatigue, weight gain, and reduced energy, but she tries to focus on the positives. “I’ve been through hell, but I’m still here,” she says.
Looking back, Sam believes that years of unprocessed stress played a role in her health collapse. “In 2020, I carried so much trauma without realising what it was doing to my body. Breathwork became my way out. It helped me regulate my nervous system, release stress, and reconnect with myself,” she explains. That realisation inspired her to train as a life coach and breathwork facilitator. Now, she helps others facing emotional overload, burnout, and loss to find clarity and resilience.
“My watch may have sounded the alarm, but breathwork gave me back my life,” she says. “Costa Rica reminded me what truly matters. I came home braver, calmer, and more connected than I’d been in years.” Though her tumour remains, Sam focuses on living fully: “I can’t change what’s happened, but I can use it to help others heal before their bodies scream at them like mine did.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
