Donna Turner would 'sit at home and cry', before volunteering with Headway - the brain injury association turned her life around and helped her to get her dream job.
She now manages the new store in Belper, which opened on Thursday, 29th November at 10:30am.
In January 2013, Donna's partner found her unconscious after she suffered a seizure in the middle of the night. Scans revealed cause of the seizure was a tumour putting pressure on the brain.
Donna underwent surgery to stunt the growth of the tumour, but because it was growing from her brain stem it was inoperable, meaning it could never be fully removed. After her surgery, she was unable to feel the left side of her body and went on to contract pneumonia.
"It was touch and go, they called my family in and said if I got any worse they were going to have to put me in a medically induced coma," she said.
Thankfully, Donna pulled though. But she was left unable to do many day-to-day tasks most people take for granted.
"I couldn't go to the toilet or get around the house, never mind go outside. Most days I would just sit and cry," she said.
"I told my partner if he needed to walk away he could. I just felt like a burden on everyone."
But everything changed when a friend took Donna along to the Headway shop where she volunteered.
"One day she said 'get in your wheelchair, even if you just sit and have a cup of tea you're coming,' said Donna. "At first I just sat in a corner, counting the jigsaw puzzles that had been donated.
"Everybody was so supportive and after a few days they were talking to me like we had always been best friends. It gave me my confidence back."
Donna has now made a good recovery and has regular checkups to monitor the tumour. Although she still has difficulty lifting her left foot, known as foot drop, she no longer needs a wheelchair.
After two years of volunteering she was made manager of the store, and is now looking forward to managing the new store in Belper.
"I can honestly say I love my job," said Donna.
"I always had a lot of cleaning jobs, and when I had my seizure I was working in a meat factory cutting up bacon. I never dreamed I would have a job like this.
"Every day is different. Some people come in and tell you their life story, you become a counsellor. "I have a huge family of my own, but now I have my Headway family too."
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating stock can visit the shop 15 King Street, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1PW
Back