In Hope

Ian lives with his wife, Debi-Ann, and their beloved dogs.  He believes in healthy living and follows a strict nutritional plan.  Before he was diagnosed with a grade III oligodenroglioma, he had never had any serious illness or been admitted into hospital.

Iona Alford was just 22 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour, but says that, despite the shock, in many ways it changed her life for the better. Following surgery to remove a rare ganglioglioma her prognosis is good and she is looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Australia.

“After my diagnosis, I changed my job and booked a once-in-a- lifetime trip to Australia for six months. Although it’s a big step, I’m so excited to start this adventure and I know my illness inspired me to take that leap. For many people, travelling is about finding yourself but, for me, it’s about putting myself back together.”

James Hinnigan was enjoying life with his partner and their son in Australia when he was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma brain tumour. The family moved back to Greater Manchester just before Christmas 2015 to be near friends and family as they faced the uncertain journey ahead. In the months that followed, James underwent pioneering surgery and mobilised thousands of people to sign an e-petition calling for more funding for research. He’s faced many challenges along the way but now, in 2018, life is on the up again for him and his family.

“On the whole though, I am positive and try to remember that there is someone, somewhere, who is worse off than me. This is the hand I have been dealt and I have to get on and play the game.”

James is a 39-year-old self-employed television sound engineer, who grew up and lives in south east London, where he counts himself lucky to be surrounded by lots of close family and friends. Previously a busy professional, with a hectic social life that came with his career in TV, everything changed for James in September 2018, when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Operations, radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed, and nights out to the pub during work trips away have since diminished. In November 2019, approaching the end of his planned 12 cycles of chemotherapy, James started writing a retrospective blog, to document his brain tumour story so far. He hopes by publishing his experiences he will help inform, entertain and inspire others who have received a similar diagnosis.

University student James was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour after he started to have nocturnal seizures. He has managed to continue his studies in mechanical engineering and will run the London Marathon 2018 for Brain Tumour Research.

“The London Marathon has always been number one on my bucket list and as there is no better time than now I am going to be taking part this year. I will be running for the charity Brain Tumour Research. For obvious reasons it is a charity very close to my heart and, as well as raising money, I hope to raise awareness of the startling statistics around this disease.”

In October 2011, aged 25, Jay was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme brain tumour (GBM4). He was given a prognosis of six months. More than six years on, while still on three-monthly scans, Jay is a devoted husband to Becky and dedicated father to Teddy, born in January 2017. He has a job he enjoys, working part-time as a graphic designer.

“Two weeks later we were given the histology results. Jay had a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme. We went home in an agonising whirl to do our own research. It was not good reading. I quickly realised that the best way to cope was to look for the positives. I voraciously read the stories of patients who had good outcomes and ignored the negative ones. Regrettably, these were far and few between.”