A Surrey teacher has had to seek treatment abroad after doctors discovered a brain tumour and the wait time for a brain biopsy at home was too long.
Iris Sharma, 37, who has spent much of her adult life giving back as a teacher, mentor, and advocate, is now asking others to help her. She recently created an to help cover the costs associated with seeking medical treatment in Mexico.
This all started back in December 2024, when Sharma began searching for an answer to the health issues she was experiencing. After multiple trips to the emergency department, she had an MRI done in early August, which revealed the mass in her brain.
She was told that it could take months for a brain biopsy. "That was too risky given the findings on my scans," Sharma said.
"Today, I am facing one of the hardest battles of my life: I have a confirmed brain tumour and a herniated disc that causes severe sciatica, leaving me unable to walk more than a few minutes at a time," . She was also told that she could not get a nerve block for the pain until mid-October and that the wait for surgery could be even longer.
Sharma decided to seek treatment elsewhere and travelled to Mexico City.
"The tumour in my left temporal lobe is serious and requires urgent attention. Alongside this, the disc injury in my lower spine causes constant pain and nerve symptoms that make everyday tasks incredibly difficult. Together, these conditions have taken away my ability to work, to move freely, and to live the life I once knew."
On Friday (Aug. 22), Sharma posted an update from Mexico City on the fundraiser and said the doctors performed a nerve block on her herniated disk.
"Surgery is still the long-term solution, but right now my brain tumour takes priority, so that鈥檚 where we鈥檙e focusing," she said. "I鈥檓 currently out of the hospital while waiting for my biopsy results. Over the last couple of days, I鈥檝e finally been able to move around with less pain 鈥� something I haven鈥檛 experienced in a very long time. For 8 months, I could not walk for more than two minutes at a time because of extreme sciatica pain."
Funds raised will help cover the costs of consulting specialists and undergoing neurosurgery, as well as travel and accommodation for Sharma and her parents in Mexico, as well as medication, recovery expenses, and hospital and diagnostic costs not covered by the B.C. medical service plan.
