Catherine O’Connor’s life took a devastating turn when her 19-year-old daughter, Ellie Watts, passed away from a brain tumour in October 2023. Ellie, a vibrant and kind young woman with a passion for Christmas, had meticulously crafted her Christmas wish list months in advance, a yearly tradition that now served as a poignant reminder of their loss. Her list, filled with simple desires like a Prada perfume, trainers, and a popular body cream, remained unfulfilled, a stark contrast to Christmases past when Catherine would playfully chide Ellie for her extensive requests but ultimately strive to fulfill them all. The festive season, once a source of immense joy for Ellie, was now tinged with profound sadness for the family.
The first Christmas without Ellie was especially difficult. Ellie’s Christmas obsession was infectious; she adorned her bedroom with an extra Christmas tree, reveled in Christmas music and films, and cherished their family traditions. The matching Christmas jumpers she and her sister, Lucy, had worn the previous year served as a bittersweet memory, a symbol of the joy that was now absent. Catherine found herself haunted by the image of Ellie watching her decorate the tree from her favorite spot on the couch, a poignant reminder of the void her daughter’s absence had created. Even simple traditions like making sausage rolls on Christmas Eve, a cherished family ritual, lacked the same sparkle without Ellie’s presence. Adding to the heartache, December 25th was also Catherine’s birthday, making the first Christmas without her daughter doubly painful.
Ellie’s journey with the brain tumour began subtly in August 2021, during a dress fitting for Catherine’s wedding. A seemingly innocuous episode of dizziness and sweating during the fitting was later identified as the first sign of the grade 1 astrocytoma that would eventually claim her life. Initially misdiagnosed as a vitamin D deficiency, Ellie’s symptoms persisted, escalating to nausea and vomiting in the spring of 2022. An MRI scan in August 2022 finally revealed the tumour and the resulting hydrocephalus, a build-up of fluid on the brain. Despite the devastating diagnosis, Ellie remained remarkably composed, more concerned with comforting her distraught mother than with her own predicament.
With characteristic resilience, Ellie underwent surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, although a small portion remained near her brain stem. Undeterred, she started university in October 2022, excelling in her studies and achieving impressive results. This period of relative stability offered a glimmer of hope, a brief respite from the looming shadow of her illness. However, the reprieve was short-lived; a year later, Ellie’s headaches returned, signaling a recurrence of the hydrocephalus.
The reappearance of the tell-tale bead of sweat on Ellie’s lip sent Catherine’s maternal instincts into overdrive, prompting an immediate trip to the emergency room. A subsequent scan confirmed their worst fears: the hydrocephalus had returned. Ellie underwent further surgery to insert a shunt, but tragically suffered a cardiac arrest during the procedure and never regained consciousness. Two days later, the family made the agonizing decision to turn off her life support.
In the wake of Ellie’s death, Catherine found solace in the knowledge that her daughter had registered as an organ donor just ten days before her passing. Ellie’s kidneys, liver, and parts of her heart brought life and hope to five other individuals, a testament to her enduring spirit of kindness and generosity. Catherine channeled her grief into action, partnering with Brain Tumour Research to raise funds and awareness about the often-subtle symptoms of brain tumours. She embarked on a challenging training regime, culminating in running the Norfolk Marathon in April 2024, a feat she undertook in Ellie’s memory and to support the vital work of the charity.
As the family navigates their second Christmas without Ellie, they aim to create new traditions while cherishing the memories of their beloved daughter. The matching Christmas jumpers, once a symbol of Ellie and Lucy’s shared joy, will now be worn by Lucy and her daughter, a poignant reminder of the enduring bonds of family and the bittersweet passage of time. The pain of Ellie’s absence remains, but the family strives to find strength in their love for each other and the legacy of kindness and positivity that Ellie left behind. Catherine’s dedication to raising awareness and funds for brain tumour research ensures that Ellie’s story continues to resonate, offering hope and support to other families facing similar challenges.
