Welcome to You Got This, news.com.au’s weekly slice of fitness inspiration featuring tips and advice from real women who’ve experienced it all.
The first thing you will notice about this beaming mum’s snap is her strong physique.
But what you don’t see is the pain, numbness and minimal feeling she has in the right side of her body.
In March last year, Dimity Emery, 42, from Brisbane, was diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening brain tumour that gave her severe headaches and impacted her mobility.
The tumour, although benign, was located in a dangerous and ‘inoperable’ part of the brain, on the tectal plate pushing on the cerebral fluid sack.
If it grew, it would have blocked the only channel and access of fluid to her brain.
Dimity said four neurosurgeons refused to operate, telling the mother-of-five to just enjoy what life she had left.
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But that all changed the moment she made an appointment with reputable Australian neurosurgeon, Dr Charlie Teo, who she says “saved my life”.
One week after her risky operation, with a 50 per cent chance of it being a success, the personal trainer was back on a treadmill and working towards rebuilding her strength.
While she is not fully healed with numbness still in the right side of her body, she remains forever grateful to Dr Teo for handing her a lifeline and her husband Luke for doing “everything in his power financially for this to happen”.
Intense headaches and weakness
Dimity said she realised something wasn’t right when she began to experience intense headaches and body weakness more than a year ago.
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“I was actually getting these headaches for about a year and I thought it was just stress as a lot was happening at the time,” Dimity told news.com.au.
The 42-year-old, who has five children, including a daughter with mild cerebral palsy, said she was juggling a busy household, including studying for her nutrition certificate.
However, after a trip to Melbourne the headaches worsened and she began to feel sick, prompting the mum to visit her GP.
A CT scan and MRI would later reveal Dimity had a rare brain tumour.
‘I’m too young for this’
“My doctor asked to call Luke and let him know on speaker I wasn’t well, was not to train anymore and had to see specialists urgently. Luke was in shock while I was numb and had a slow stream of tears running down my cheeks.”
Dimity said she’s always lived a very healthy and active lifestyle, and to be told she has a brain tumour had left her feeling devastated.
“I just couldn’t believe it. I looked after my body, I didn’t do silly things with my body. I remember thinking, ‘I am a mum with all these beautiful kids and I have a husband, I am too young for this and I still have so much to give.’”
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After getting rejected by multiple neurosurgeons, Dimity turned to Professor Teo the doctor best-known for giving Milli Lucas precious extra years with her family before she died aged 14 from Grade VI Glioblastoma. She was diagnosed at the age of nine and given just 12 weeks to live.
“I maybe had two weeks left when it came to see Dr Teo,” Dimity said.
He also told her it was unlike anything he had ever seen or operated on before, but was adamant to try.
The incredible neurosurgeon then performed a nine-hour surgery on Dimity’s brain on March 25 last year, removing 85 per cent of the tumour.
“I stand so proud, tall and abundantly grateful to Dr Charlie Teo – blessing me with his gift. and giving me this second chance at life,” Dimity said.
One week after surgery she was back on a treadmill, and three months after getting the all-clear she began to increase her training.
“I feel so blessed to be here, but I would be lying if I said some days weren’t hard.”
Dimity said everything is a little different now, from her balance, grip and strength.
“I don’t lift heavy weights above my head due to failed strength and not being able to control my grip, but I don’t quit and I don’t give up. I just lift lighter.”
“I honestly have the biggest smile when I train as I’m just so grateful that my body can do what it can.”
She also went on to complete her qualification, making her a certified sports nutritionist.
If you’ve got a transformation story you’d like to share, get in touch with shireen.khalil@news.com.au
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