Jamila Rizvi diagnosed with brain tumour. Intends to kick its arse.

Australian journalist and author Jamila Rizvi has been diagnosed with a benign brain tumour.

The 31-year-old mother said she received the diagnosis after Googling her symptoms a couple of weeks ago and will undergo surgery in January.

Jamila is the former Editor in Chief of Mamamia, now a columnist for News Corp and this year wrote Not Just Lucky, a manifesto about young women and work. She shared the news of her diagnosis publicly for the first time with her followers on Instagram yesterday.

“You’re not supposed to Google your symptoms because the internet says everything is either stomach cancer or a brain tumour. Turns out, sometimes Google gets it right,” reads the caption to her Instagram photograph – a black and white picture her son, two-year-old Rafi, holding a stethoscope to her chest.

“About a month ago I was diagnosed with a rare type of brain tumour. It’s taken me a while to come to terms with the news (and I think it’ll take me a bit longer to learn how to spell it). Fortunately the tumour is benign and operable.”

She said she is undergoing surgery in January and will require a few months recovery, in which she’ll be absent from the public conversation.

A post shared by Jamila Rizvi (@jamilarizvi) on Dec 17, 2017 at 11:36pm PST

“I’m writing, speaking and working as normal and that’s how I intend to continue,” she wrote. “I’ve also been assured the tumour isn’t compressing a secret conservative lobe of the brain. So there’s no risk I’ll emerge from surgery singing the praises of Donald Trump or Tony Abbott.”

Finally Rizvi applauded Australia’s healthcare system, saying she is one of the world’s lucky ones.

“I have brilliant surgeons, specialists and nurses… And at every appointment, every test, every hospital visit, I’ve been asked for my Medicare card before my credit card.”

She also asked for Australia’s confidence in her recovery. “I fully intend to be fine,” she said.

Recover quickly, Jam. We have all faith that your incomparable determination will see you and your family through this particularly crappy time.