Stories
Here you can read about some people whose lives have been touched by brain tumours – we hope you feel as inspired by them as we do!
Our stories…
My Story by Susie King
In the summer of 2023, I began experiencing unusual shimmering headaches, which I initially attributed to the pressures of a busy work and home life. However, in early September, I suddenly lost consciousness one morning in my kitchen, completely without warning.
Chronic Pain and Brain Tumours; It’s Not Just Physical – Mental Health Can Be Impacted Too
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed yearly with brain tumours. Many of these will also experience chronic pain. Fibromyalgia and arthritis are just two examples of this.
1.5 billion people around the globe are affected by chronic pain. Physical symptoms can be severe and mental health often gets pushed aside. So many people suffer from pain daily, and we must start looking at how to improve the mental impact.
What is the link between brain cancer and mental health?
When you hear the words ‘mental health’, what springs to mind? When I started my career in marketing those words were very rarely mentioned, except in mental hospitals or TV dramas. Over the recent years the national focus on mental health has accelerated on a big scale with the evolution of medication and technology, more media story about mental health and the national trauma with the COVID pandemic, just to name a few areas. For me, the catalyst for my learning was very specific: in July 2017 I was diagnosed with brain cancer.
Maxwell Alexander Grey Thompson’s story – written by his fiancée Leanne
Max was an extremely fit, healthy 31-year-old with a real zest and passion for life when he was rushed into hospital complaining of a headache, dizziness, and a tingling sensation down the left-hand side of his face. No one could have predicted the results of the CT scan.
Eric Mahlum
Eric’s Wish Cancer Charity Music Fundraising Appeal has been born from a terrible tragedy: back in 2015 a young, gifted cancer research scientist called Eric Mahlum lost his life in a tragic car accident. Through this fundraising appeal for cancer research they are now seeking to create his lasting legacy.
Blogger Claire's book about coping with a brain tumour
While most 25 year-olds are working to build their careers, start families and enjoy their independence, Londoner Claire Bullimore found herself facing the most unexpected and gut-wrenching challenge of her life; a brain tumour. Now Claire has just published her second book documenting her battle – ‘Just A Girl And Her Thoughts: How I Went From Personal Tragedy To Love And Back
“My girls growing up without their dad”- Nicola & Simon Whittock’s story
My husband Simon had been extremely fit and healthy prior to contracting brain cancer. He died at 50 having faced his dreadful illness head on with immense courage, dignity and positivity. I feel cheated of my future and our daughters will grow up without their Dad.
Celebrity chef beats brain cancer
My name is John Lawson and I’m a Chef. I’ve been a Chef all my life. When other children were reading comic books, I was reading books about Food. I loved Food! I grew up in a working -class family in Essex, enjoying my Mum’s home cooking. The little boy me could never have imagined how much Food would shape my entire life, and eventually, save it.
Alexandra Dixon
Alexandra Dixon was diagnosed with a low-grade oligodendroglioma brain tumour after suffering a series of severe epileptic seizures while on holiday in the south of France. Back in the UK, she underwent surgery in June 2007. An MRI scan in 2012 revealed the tumour had returned. She had surgery again followed by radio and chemotherapy.
Anna Louise Swabey
Diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 23, Anna Swabey was initially given just months to live, but under the care of consultant neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill, at Imperial College, London, Anna had surgery and went on to have a year’s chemotherapy and radiotherapy under oncologist Matt Williams. She shared her experiences from the time of her diagnosis almost up to her death through her blog “Inside My Head”.
Dan Wiggins
Dan was first diagnosed with a grade 2 brain tumour after a grand mal seizure in April 2006 when he was 30. He received a variety of treatments including a craniotomy in 2009 to de-bulk the tumour. At that time he found out that the tumour had been re-classified as a grade 3 or 4 and his doctors recommended he should start to receive regular chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Charing Cross Hospital. Dan was married to Lucy and was a fundraiser for and a trustee of BTRC.
Georgie Beadman
Georgie Beadman wife, mother, daughter, and sister, died seven years after being diagnosed with a low grade glioma. She was a talented potter who loved music and the arts. In February 2015, Georgie died at the age of 41 leaving a husband and two small children.
John Fulcher
John Fulcher was taken ill on a business trip to Canada. He was diagnosed with an inoperable glioblastoma brain tumour and, together with his wife and accompanied by a nurse, was flown home to the UK. Under the care of Kevin O’Neill, consultant neurosurgeon at Charing Cross, John underwent several surgeries but died ten months later.
Karolina Janczar
Karolina joined the BTRC research team in January 2007 as a PhD student, following her pre-registration medical training in Poland where she originally graduated in 2005.
Kevin O’Neill
Kevin O’Neill is Consultant Neuro-surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital, Imperial College, London and Chairman of BTRC.
Melissa Huggins
Melissa Huggins is an attractive twenty-eight year old primary school teacher with a Grade lll Anaplastic Ependymoma brain tumour and further tumours in her spine. She was diagnosed in 2005 after many years of not knowing what was wrong. In 2009 with the help of her sister, fiancé and friends she raised £250,000 to send her to Boston, US for proton therapy to shrink the tumour. She has since had chemotherapy and radiotherapy and is back teaching at school three days a week.
Sunita Nathwani
Mum-of-three Sunita was diagnosed with a type 2 meningioma brain tumour after an eye test at Specsavers. She underwent surgery and treatment but lost her battle less than two years later. Her husband Upin has been left with a void in his life and is comforted by the pride he feels in their talented and beautiful children.
Yashpal Gill
Yashpal Gill died of a brain tumour in 2002 after a very short illness – he was just 50. He was a self employed accountant and a very active man. His death left his wife, Bali, and two sons devastated.
Would you like to tell your story, or get in touch?
Please contact info@btrc-charity.org or Wendy Fulcher on +44(0)20 8601 2402.