The battle to overcome brain diseases has led two mothers to begin a fundraising drive after undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

Fran Mauri and Julie Stoner from Barnes share a love of exercise, both being regulars at indoor cycling sessions in Mortlake.

They have also both faced brain conditions this year and underwent treatment at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London.

With Fran and Julie now well on the way to recovery, they and staff at their gym are supporting The National Brain Appeal, the charity that raises vital funds for the hospital.

The charity’s annual campaign, the Pyjama Party, takes place in October, so CychoCycle in Mortlake will hold a fundraising day tomorrow (October 15) where participants of the indoor cycling class will wear pyjamas and the class fees will be donated to the charity.

Art director Fran, who lives in Barnes with partner Rod and daughters, seven-year-old Florence and four-year-old Cecilia, has recently undergone major brain surgery to remove a tumour.

She had been experiencing extreme fatigue for the last five years. However, rather than think this was due to serious illness, she put this down to her being a mother of young children and presumed it was normal. She said: “I was always so exhausted but I assumed that this was how all mothers felt. My sleep was affected and I also had dizziness. Life felt like walking uphill in syrup.”

She was referred for scans which revealed a brain tumour that was pressing on her brain stem.

It was diagnosed as an acoustic neuroma, which is a benign tumour that grows on the nerve used for hearing and balance.

Fran continued: “I had been feeling absolutely awful but I really wasn’t prepared for the shock of hearing this diagnosis.

“In some ways it gave me an explanation for why I had been feeling so bad but knowing I would need brain surgery was terrifying.”

Fran immediately started researching her condition and where she could receive the most effective treatment.

As well as continuing with exercise, she also embraced holistic therapies to boost her general health and well-being prior to surgery in the hope that this would help her recover more quickly. Fran recalls: “The pain was extraordinary and my head was very tightly bandaged.

“I had lots of drips and monitoring and was on lots of morphine. I tried to smile and when I could I knew I didn’t have facial paralysis which had been a very big worry for me.

“Once I knew that, I could deal with the pain.”

She continued: “The nurses were amazing, so lovely and vigilant.”

TV production manager and fellow Barnes resident Julie Stoner who has two sons, Robert, aged 30, and Michael, aged 28, has also had a difficult year to say the least. She has faced treatment for two serious health conditions in close succession, both of which were treated successfully at The National Hospital.

Since 2010 Julie had been having episodes of retinal migraine, also known as ocular migraine, in her right eye. Scans revealed that Julie had a brain or cerebral aneurysm.

In March this year, they carried out a procedure called endovascular coiling, the procedure was successful and Julie, a keen gardener, was taken off all medication other than aspirin and returned to her normal life.

Four months later, however, she had a stroke. The stroke mainly affected Julie’s right hand and foot and, initially, her speech.

Julie said: “The care I had at The National Hospital was brilliant. After my stroke I was relieved to be back there as I knew I was in the right place.”

Whilst 2016 has been a dramatic one for Julie, she takes this in her stride. She said: “Apart from not driving, life is pretty much back to normal.”

To support the cyclists raising money for The National Brain Appeal go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/CychoCycle