A woman whose sister died at just 25 years old has shared the first symptom she experienced, years before being diagnosed with brain cancer.
Sophia Ghadoushi was 19 when she first began feeling extreme fatigue. Despite a healthy lifestyle and adequate rest, she felt constantly exhausted.
In a viral TikTok video, her sister Meagan, 28 (@meaganghadoushi), said: “My sister was too young to be as tired as an 80-year-old woman.”
“Just one hour of walking outside could leave her needing to rest in bed for the rest of the day,” Meagan told Newsweek. “It was strange because, before that, she had always been active.”
Multiple tests—including a spinal tap—came back clear. Meagan said their general practitioner dismissed her concerns entirely, suggesting she was simply being lazy.
Worsening Symptoms and First Diagnosis
Over time, Sophia developed numbness on one side of her body, migraines, memory issues, and slurred speech.
In September 2021, she was diagnosed with Grade III anaplastic astrocytoma—a brain tumor that develops from a slower-growing mass and becomes more aggressive.
Surgery was not an option, but, after a year of chemotherapy, Sophia went into remission in May 2022.
“When she was in remission, before the glioblastoma diagnosis, we made it our mission to travel the world together,” Meagan said.
“Those trips were everything to us. Our love language was teasing each other—the meaner the joke, the harder we laughed. She was my best friend in the universe—and she still is.”
Tumor Returns as Glioblastoma
In 2023, doctors suspected the tumor had returned in Sophia’s frontal lobe and recommended immunotherapy, surgery, and targeted radiation.
By January 2024, they determined the mass was radiation damage, not a new tumor. However, Sophia’s health continued to decline, and Meagan says her symptoms were repeatedly downplayed.
“Even when she developed double vision, they kept insisting there was nothing there,” Meagan said.
In July 2024, Sophia’s original brainstem tumor—initially labeled noncancerous—was confirmed to have returned, this time as glioblastoma.
What Is Glioblastoma?
Glioblastoma is the most-aggressive form of brain cancer, affecting more than 12,000 people annually in the United States, according to the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
It can occur at any age but is most common between 65 and 74 years old. The median age of diagnosis is 65.
What Are the Symptoms of Glioblastoma?
Newsweek spoke to neuro-oncologist Haroon Ahmad, MD, with the University of Maryland Medical Center.
The classic symptoms of a developing tumor, including glioblastoma, are:
- Progressive headaches
- Seizures
- Focal neurological symptoms
Ahmad said: “By focal neurological symptoms, we mean symptoms specific to the area of brain that is being damaged, similar to stroke symptoms, i.e. weakness, facial droop, speech deficits, visual field changes.
“However, many patients have symptoms that are not easily recognized as red flags for brain tumors, such as clumsiness, insidious changes in memory/concentration, or even progressive fatigue.
Is Glioblastoma Hard to Detect in Younger Patients?
Age can often play a role in diagnosis, with some symptoms overlooked for extended periods before further investigation. Ahmad, who is also an assistant professor, said that diagnosing a younger patient can sometimes take longer.
He added: “In a way, it’s harder to diagnose younger patients with cancer. Given the rarity of many cancers in this age group, physicians are looking for other causes that can explain a symptom.
“A good example of this, for brain tumors, are headaches, which sometimes are overlooked for months before investigation. Other types of tumors can cause hormonal imbalances, which can manifest in a number of ways,” Ahmad said.
“On the contrary, certain symptoms are more alarming in younger patients like unintentional weight loss and cognitive changes. These are red flags in younger patients but are sometimes overlooked in elderly patients.”
Fighting Until the End
“My sister fought with everything she had,” Meagan told Newsweek. Sophia pursued alternative treatments in Switzerland, Germany, and Mexico, as well as rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Sophia died on June 27, 2024 at age 25.
“Sophia was incredibly smart and quick-witted, with a sense of humor that could make an entire room laugh,” Meagan said.
“She was driven and determined, but also warm and compassionate. Loyal, trustworthy, and loving—if you were lucky enough to have her in your life, you knew she’d always be in your corner.”
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