2. Simon

Killing the worm in Simon’s brain before it kills him.

Simon’s just back from holiday when things go off-kilter. He tries to open the fridge door - but can’t find the handle. He feels a throbbing pain in his head and a growing pressure behind his eye. An MRI scan reveals a cyst in Simon’s head - containing a worm. Simon has a rare condition called neurocysticercosis.

And so the race against time begins: to kill the worm in Simon’s brain before it kills him.

In Room 5, Helena Merriman shares stories of real-life medical mysteries, interviewing people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Combining intimate storytelling, immersive sound design, candid interviews, science and a large dose of compassion, Room 5 is a gripping portrait of extraordinary people at a moment when everything changes.

Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman
Composer: Jeremy Warmsley
Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore

Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples
Researcher: May Cameron
Editor: Emma Rippon

#Room5

End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal