Essendon community rallies to support Rosanna Scarcella after shock brain tumour found following an accidental fall

A beloved Essendon woman and her family have been rocked by the shock discovery of a 3cm brain tumour, only found after an accidental fall.

Rosanna Scarcella has been rocked by the shock discovery of a 3cm brain tumour that has left her unable to walk. Picture: supplied.

A “strong and fit” Essendon woman made a shocking discovery after an accidental fall down a flight of stairs led her to being hospitalised.

Rosanna Scarcella, 40, had been going about her day-to-day life when her right foot felt numb just three weeks ago.

The following day, she fell down a flight of stairs, an accident that ironically may have saved her life.

Rosanna went to see her GP who sent her straight to the emergency room, where doctors later found a 3cm tumour pressing on to the main blood vessel in her brain.

Rosanna’s sister Joanne said everything from that point “happened so fast”.

“She was basically booked in for surgery straight away,” she said.

Rosanna received surgery to remove the tumour, which was putting pressure on the main blood vessel in her brain. Picture: supplied.

“It has all happened in a three-week period —I think I’m still in shock.

“We are just so grateful she’s still with us and still herself.”

Rosanna had complained of strange headaches for two years prior to her fall, perhaps an omen for what was to come.

Joanne said it was a timely reminder to take health seriously.

“Hindsight is a beautiful thing of course,” she said.

“She was saying the other day she wished she’d just gone to the doctor to get them checked sooner instead of popping a Panadol.”

The Scarcella family is looking forward to helping Rosanna walk again.

“She still can’t move her right foot, the doctor’s had said it’s going to take a long time for her to rewire her brain in that way,” Joanne said.

“We’ve seen some lifting in her knee but there is definitely a long road to recovery.”

However, Rosanna’s journey is far from over as doctors await the biopsy results for the tumour.

The Essendon community has rallied to support Rosanna in her recovery, donating nearly $30,000 in two days. Picture: supplied.

“They said there was no way to know what caused it – she was just unlucky,” Joanne said.

“She was just your average, fit and healthy 40-year-old – it’s crazy.

“Now we are waiting to find out if the tumour was benign or not.”

The Essendon community rallied to support Rosanna and her family – who run the well known Essendon Hotel on Mt Alexander Rd – after Joanne created an online fundraiser.

“The support we’ve gotten is overwhelming,” she said.

“It’s incredible to see – it just shows there are still generous and kind people in the world.”

The fundraiser had garnered $29,834 in donations at the time of writing, just two days after going live.

If you’d like to help Rosanna and her journey to recovery, you can find the fundraiser here.