Julie's Story: Diary of a brain tumourJulie's Story: Diary of a brain tumour
All In The Mind
Like many young Australians in their early 20s, writer Julie Deakin headed to Europe for her first 'Big Adventure'. But holidaying in Hungary with her sister she found herself diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and scheduled for immediate surgery, in a land whose language she didn't speak. It was the start of an eight-year saga before her death in 1998, confronting a tumour that wouldn't go away, and the finality of a passionate young life. This week, Julie's story.
30:15•12 Jan 2008
Julie’s Diary: A Young Writer’s Final Journey with a Brain Tumour
Episode Overview
- Serious illness can arrive without warning and completely change a young person’s plans and sense of the future.
- Writing, storytelling and creativity can help express fear, pain and small moments of beauty during long-term illness.
- Family members carry their own deep emotional journey, from urgent hope to the painful acceptance of approaching death.
- Medical treatment may offer hope with each new surgery or therapy, yet can also be physically and emotionally brutal.
- Grief can lead to a stronger appreciation of the value of all lives, especially children and vulnerable people.
“"If it's in your bones, you can fight it. If it's in your breast, you can fight it. If it's in your head, how do you fight it?"”
Get ready to be moved by a real-life account of serious illness, love, and loss. This episode of All In The Mind centres on Julie Deacon, a young Australian writer whose "first big adventure" to Europe turned into an eight-year struggle with an aggressive brain tumour. The story unfolds through a powerful mix of Julie’s own diary pieces, read aloud by actor Susan Pryor, and tender reflections from her mother, Eleanor (Ellen) Gallaher.
You’ll hear vivid scenes from Hungary, where Julie is suddenly told, "You've got a brain tumour," in a language she barely understands, and the surreal experience of immediate brain surgery: "The patient must be patient," her surgeon jokes, as she’s wheeled into theatre. Between these moments, Eleanor shares how her daughter’s illness reshaped her own life and her understanding of grief.
She talks frankly about the shock of prognosis, the grind of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and the unbearable hope around each of Julie’s six brain surgeries. There’s humour too, like the shop assistant who assumes Julie’s shaved head is a fashion statement until Julie quietly says, "I've just had brain surgery." Julie’s writing captures both fear and fierce appreciation of life: the way sunlight hits autumn leaves, the chill of diving into icy water, and the dread of recurrence.
Her mother recalls being told, "the time will come when you have a dying daughter," and the painful shift from fighting to finally saying, "look, stop fighting. Just let go." With cello performances by Julie’s sister, Gabrielle Deacon, this episode paints a picture of a short life that still felt "round" and meaningful.
If you’ve faced illness, cared for someone who’s sick, or are trying to make sense of loss, this quietly powerful story may stay with you long after the audio ends. What shape do you want your own one precious life to take?
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