by Lucy Ashton
Dunbartonshire girl Jessica Macrae celebrated her fifth birthday yesterday, Saturday, with a fun‑filled trip to a farm park with her cousins.
This was a day her parents, Jude Pender (40) and Andrew Macrae (43), feared might not be possible just over six months ago.
In October 2025, Jessica received life-saving brain surgery at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, followed by 12 weeks of intensive neuro rehab. The four-year-old went from being unable to speak, eat or move, to getting her life back and enjoying every minute with her family.
Jude has shared Jessica’s story to thank the staff in Neurosurgery, Physiotherapy, and everyone in between at the hospital.
“In summer last year, we noticed small but worrying changes in Jessica’s health. What started as headaches and feeling sick in the mornings gradually progressed to problems with balance and coordination.
“It was very incremental, but there were lots of things that didn’t feel right,” said Jude.
“Her colouring in went from being fine for her age to very messy. She disengaged from gymnastics because she said it made her dizzy, and I noticed her walk had changed.”
After an initial visit to Accident and Emergency (A&E) in August and several GP appointments, Jude and Andrew returned to A&E at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, in October when Jessica’s symptoms worsened. A CT scan revealed a mass at the back of Jessica’s brain, along with a build‑up of fluid.
Jessica was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the back of her brain in an area called the posterior fossa. The tumour was thought to have arisen from the cerebellum, the area that affects balance and coordination.
“When the neurosurgeon came to speak to us, we knew it was serious,” Jude said. “We were told Jessica would need surgery immediately.”
Jessica underwent surgery on the 17th of October. Following a short stay in intensive care, she was transferred to Ward 3A. Her recovery was initially extremely challenging, with little movement or responsiveness, and severe sickness. A decision to fit a shunt to drain excess fluid was then a turning point.
Although Jessica began to stabilise after the shunt, she was unable to move or speak and required a feeding tube. She also needed full assistance from two staff members for any movement.
“The neurosurgeons did a great job with Jessica to get her to that point, and we are so grateful to them for saving her life. We also knew that it would take a team following the surgery to progress her movement, but we were never sure what the outcome would be,” said Jude.
The pathology following surgery showed that Jessica had a WHO Grade 1 Pilocytic Astrocytoma, a non-cancerous tumour. This meant that she did not require further treatment but would require intensive neuro-rehabilitation.
Jude explained that Jessica’s recovery to where she is today simply would not have been possible if it weren’t for the intensive neuro‑rehabilitation she then received with the Royal Hospital for Children’s Physiotherapy Team.
Jessica remained in hospital for 13 weeks, with daily physiotherapy sessions taking place at her bedside, in the sensory room, gym and hydrotherapy pool.
“At the beginning, her rehabilitation was like fast‑tracking a baby’s development, learning to hold her head up, sit, crawl, eat and walk again,” Jude said.
“Jessica is such a happy little girl and has shown incredible resilience and determination,” Jude said. “She knows she has been unwell, but I don’t think she realises just how far she has come. We are so incredibly grateful to the teams who cared for her.”
Fiona Norval is a Paediatric Physiotherapist with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and was Jessica’s main Physiotherapist during her hospital stay.
“Jessica’s determination throughout her recovery has been incredible to see. Her rehabilitation was intensive and challenging, but she approached every session with curiosity and enthusiasm. Our aim in paediatric physiotherapy is always to make therapy engaging and meaningful for the child, and Jessica’s progress is a testament to her hard work, her family’s support and the dedication of the wider multidisciplinary team involved in her care.”