Jamila Rizvi’s one in a million brain tumour

Jamila’s craniopharyngioma had been growing for years, unbeknownst to her. In hindsight, it was her son who gave the first clue, when he stopped breastfeeding overnight at 11 months old.

Today Jamila is an author, a broadcaster and the deputy managing director of Future Women, dedicated to achieving gender equity in Australian workplaces.

A few years back, her life was on a powerful trajectory — she had been the chief of staff for a federal MP, written best-selling books and was a regular guest on TV panel shows.

Then in 2017, she realised something was wrong with her health.

At first she wasn’t worried. 

Then, at 31 she was diagnosed with craniopharyngioma — a rare and recurring brain tumour.

When Jamila left the world of the well, her life changed completely, in funny, strange, and harrowing ways.

Jamila's book Broken Brains: For anyone who's been sick or loved someone who was is co-authored with Rosie Waterland and published by Penguin Random House.

This interview was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' EP is Nicola Harrison. The presenter was Richard Fidler.

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