A Berwick woman has shared her story after a routine hearing test was prompted by a loss of hearing in right ear.

Teresa Newham, 71, noticed a sudden change of hearing in February last year so made an appointment at Specsavers where audiologist Katie Blackie spotted an unusual swelling in one of her ears.

She was referred to her GP which started the process of MRI scanning at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where a benign Paraganglioma tumour was found in her right ear. This is a rare type of Neuroendocrine tumour that can also form near nerves and blood vessels outside of the adrenal glands.

Teresa, who previously battled breast cancer, said the specialist who examined her told her she was only the second person he had seen with the condition in 22 years.

Although the tumour in her ear was not cancerous it affected hearing and balance and Teresa was cautioned that there was a possibility that it may spread so she would need to be monitored carefully.

She underwent full body scans every six months. In December last year a scan revealed two small tumours on one of her kidneys and a biopsy revealed these were small malignant cancer tumours.

She was swiftly referred to Newcastle Freeman Hospital for robotic keyhole surgery and the malignant tumours were removed.

Teresa says: “It’s incredible to think this was discovered all because I thought I was going deaf!

“I really want to thank Katie and the rest of the audiology team at Specsavers because if I hadn’t gone for that appointment, the tumour in my ear and the ones on my kidney would never have been discovered. Katie’s findings and referral meant I was examined more closely by specialists so I could receive the right treatment quickly.”

Katie said: “When I examined Teresa, I detected an abnormality in the appearance of her right ear drum and the degree of hearing loss was significantly worse in that ear. It was clear that further investigation was needed. I am so pleased to hear she is now recovering, and doctors are continuing to keep a close eye on her.

“Teresa’s story is a reminder of the importance of getting checked out by an expert if you ever noticed any sudden changes in your hearing.”