An eagle-eyed optician who spotted the tell-tale signs of a brain tumour during a sight examination has been praised by the grateful woman he helped.
Angela Dennis, 39, had been suffering severe migraines and imbalance before collapsing at a bus stop in July.
Her GP told her not to worry but the frightened mum-of-two decided to go to Jon Sames Opticians in Hilldene Avenue, Harold Hill for tests.
“I asked my doctor for a brain scan but I was told anything like that would be ‘a long way off’,” special needs teacher Angela said. “I knew there was definitely something wrong with me and thought it might be something to do with my eyes.”
Angela was seen by optician Hardev Panesar on September 7 who found she had swelling behind the eyes.
“I could tell by his face something was really wrong with me,” said Angela. “He wrote me a note and told me to take it to A&E immediately.”
Doctors at Queen’s Hospital, in Rom Valley Way, Romford, diagnosed a brain tumour later that day and Angela underwent a five-hour operation to remove the 5cm non-cancerous growth on Wednesday of last week.
Relieved husband Simon Dennis, 39, said: “If it wasn’t taken out the tumour would have left her blind and disabled. She wouldn’t have been able to live a happy family life.
“I can’t thank the optician enough.”
Angela, mum to Aaron, seven, and Hayden, three, is now on the road to recovery.
She said: “I’ve nothing but praise for Jon Sames Opticians. And I want to thank my husband for everything he did.”
Hardev said: “We know our patients so it was obvious to us, knowing Angela, that she was not well.
“We’re a community opticians and we’d bend over backwards to help our patients.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here