Sharon Fielding from Maidstone was rushed to King’s in south London in July 2008 after doctors in Kent discovered she had an aneurysm in her brain, which is an unstable bulge on the wall of an artery. Left untreated, they can cause stroke or even death.

Sharon was operated on within hours of arriving at King’s by Consultant Neuroradiologist Dr Tim Hampton, who made a tiny puncture wound in Sharon’s groin so he could feed platinum coils through the arteries to the brain. The aneurysm was then successfully repaired by the coils, preventing a catastrophic haemorrhage from a major artery inside her brain.

A year on Sharon is now married to Stephen, who popped the question (again) a few hours after the operation was carried out. He had feared the opportunity had been lost for ever.

Steve arranged for the wedding ceremony to be timed at 4 in the afternoon, the time of day Dr Hampton emerged from theatre and told Steve the operation had been successful and that Sharon would be ok.

Sharon, who is generally fit and healthy, had started to experience unexplained headaches following a week’s holiday in Herefordshire in June last year. Whilst cooking dinner after her first day back at work, she suddenly experienced a strange whooshing feeling in her head and neck.

“It felt as though something was about to snap”, says Sharon. “It was very uncomfortable and I was really scared, it was like a rushing surge of pain at the back of my head. Instead of doing anything about it, I tried to carry on and was then violently sick. Steve told me I should phone an ambulance, but I just waved it away. The next day, when it hadn’t got better, I decided to go to the doctor.”

However, it was only after two visits to her GP, and an appointment with her osteopath, that Sharon thought there must be something more seriously wrong.

“Steve drove me to work but he really didn’t want me to go. I turned on my computer, did about an hour’s work and then my left eye started to close – I also had a sharp pain on the left hand side of my head. Then I started to experience double-vision.” Sharon immediately called Steve who collected her from work. They both decided there and then that Sharon needed to seek emergency treatment.

Dr Sam Chong, a neurologist in Kent who is one of a number of consultants working within the King’s Neuroscience network, sent Sharon for an urgent MRI scan after listening to her symptoms; the scan revealed an aneurysm in her brain.

“The specialist who referred me for scans – Dr Chong – called me at 10.30pm on the same evening (July 3) to say that it wasn’t a tumour, but that I did need emergency surgery and could I be driven to King’s straight away?” said Sharon.

Sharon said: “It was horrendous. I didn’t know what to do with myself. Fortunately, I was able to tell myself to stay strong and keep my chin up – I had Steve with me for support as well.”

Sharon was listed for surgery and a bed was prepared for her at King’s, a specialist centre for neurosurgery and for treating conditions like brain aneurysms. She arrived at King’s with Steve and sister Nikki at 1.30am on Friday July 4. Both were allowed to stay at King’s that evening, and Sharon’s operation was carried out the same day.

Sharon said: “Dr Hampton spoke to me before the operation and explained my options. However, I knew that I had to get it sorted otherwise I would die.”

After the surgery, Sharon’s symptoms of headache disappeared immediately; her left eye – which had closed completely with a dilated pupil – slowly re-opened over the course of 10 weeks and the nerve governing her eye continues to improve.

Although they are rare, about 1 in 10,000 people will have a haemorrhage from a brain aneurysm every year and the majority will be left seriously disabled or dead. It was therefore very important to repair Sharon’s aneurysm before a serious haemorrhage occurred.

In total, Sharon and Steve – together with the generosity of Sharon’s colleagues and friends, who raised money for them as a secret wedding present – have raised nearly £2,000 which they have donated to the medical team at King’s to invest in patient care.

Sharon said: “It is difficult for me to put into words just how grateful I am to Dr Chong, Dr Hampton and the staff at King’s who helped me before, during and after my operation. I am now back at work and enjoying married life, which at one stage neither Steve or I thought would be possible. I am sure the doctors at King’s will make sure the money raised is used in the right way, so other people can benefit in the same way as I have.”

Sharon added: “My advice to anyone experiencing a severe headache lasting more than two days – as well as disturbances to vision - is to get your symptoms investigated straight away. It could save your life.”

Dr Chong said that Sharon’s condition demonstrated the importance of the King’s Neuroscience network. He said: “Consultants who hold appointments at local hospitals as well as King’s are able to act quickly to provide seamless care. In this case, I was able to admit Sharon immediately and continue with her aftercare.”