In Our Hearts
Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years
These very brave people will remain in our hearts for ever and it is because of them that we are fighting to find a cure so that no other family should have to suffer in the same way.
"We thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday, and days before that too."
Anon
You are forever in our hearts.
Recently published stories
Mike Scott
Husband and father Mike Scott was enjoying early retirement in Gloucestershire after a successful business career when he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM). He underwent surgery and died nine months later in the most tragic of circumstances during a BBQ with his close family. His widow Mary made a significant donation to Brain Tumour Research which enabled the launch of the fourth Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in Sutton, Surrey.
Read moreEmily Oliver
Emily Oliver, a University of Nottingham nursing student, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, later identified as a diffuse midline glioma (DMG) – also known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) – in January 2018. She underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy before travelling to a clinic in Germany, where, following a biopsy, she received personalised vaccines and another course of radiotherapy. She survived 18 months from diagnosis, passing away in a hospice in July 2019, aged 21.
Read moreAlex Pendleton
Alex Pendleton was diagnosed with a brain tumour, later identified as a glioblastoma (GBM), in March 2021 after experiencing slurred speech and severe confusion. He had also been feeling sick and experiencing a strange sense of smell and taste, but he initially attributed these to possible symptoms of COVID-19. Alex, from Stotfold, Bedfordshire, had a biopsy followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, before spending 17 months on various chemo drugs. His treatment came to end following the growth of a second tumour and after a critically low platelet count prevented him, despite a transfusion, from continuing with chemo. He died in a hospice in June 2023, aged 42.
Read moreAll stories
Aria Nikjooy
We are grateful to Aria who worked with us in October 2020 to share his story here. Sadly, he passed away on 8th February 2021. We remember Aria as we continue our work to raise awareness of this devastating disease and to fund research to help find a cure. He will be forever in our hearts.
In November 2018, paediatric trainee doctor Aria Nikjooy was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour, sitting in his cerebellum. Aged just 27, he was operated on, treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy and thankfully the tumour was kept at bay. Then, in March 2020, the same brain tumour came back and he had a second brain surgery. Devastatingly, a second recurrence came in July 2020 resulting in another brain operation and more cancer treatment. As part of his recovery and rehabilitation, Aria turned to writing. This culminated in him writing a children’s fiction book to help to explain the complex issues surrounding illness and cancer to his little boy.
Read moreArthur Boyd
Arthur was a fit and healthy man and a loving husband and father to his three sons. He had a strong Christian faith which was a huge source of comfort and strength not only to him, but his whole family when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour just before Christmas 2015. He died just short of six months later, aged 69.“I was aware of brain tumours, but had never equated them to brain cancer until Dad was diagnosed. I spent an inordinate amount of time researching treatments such as electric therapy in Germany, as well as immunotherapy trials, but it was soul-destroying not to be able to find anything available to Dad no matter how hard or far we looked.”
Ashley Shameli
Ashley Shameli was 22 and training to be a solicitor when he was diagnosed with a grade two astrocytoma brain tumour after suffering a massive epileptic seizure. He underwent several operations with the pioneering brain surgeon Henry Marsh and endured gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He lived for another eight years and died aged 30, leaving his beloved mum Jeanette, his dad, his older sister Shardi and younger brother Shervin.“When Ashley was born I was six-and-a-half. I remember being so proud to be the big sister of such a beautiful, happy little boy. My other brother, Shervin, was born a year and half later. The three of us were exceptionally close as children and lived together when we moved to London. I will never forget Ashley’s beautiful smile, his cheeky dimple, his twinkling eyes and his kindness. He adored his family and we adored him.”
Asmat Chaudry
Father-of-three Asmat Chaudry was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in April 2013 after suffering a seizure at home and losing feeling in his left side. He had been experiencing some forgetfulness in the weeks prior but was otherwise a fit and active 74-year-old. He underwent brain surgery and radiotherapy but died 15 months later, during the most sacred days of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Read moreAtif Hanif
Atif was a loving father and husband and at the pinnacle of his career at a prestigious London law firm when he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumour, dying two years later. Now his wife finds comfort in the fact that Atif has left his legacy in both of their daughters.
Read moreAurora Provenzano
Aurora was just six years old with her whole life ahead of her when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She fought a brave battle for three and a half years, but sadly lost the fight, leaving her parents and two sisters, Isabella and Chiara with a huge hole in their family.Aurora only ever had one fit and that was it - she was otherwise completely healthy. Yet in 2006 we found ourselves at our local hospital where an MRI scan revealed Aurora had a brain tumour. When Aurora was diagnosed it felt like I was having an out of body experience. I was pregnant with my third daughter and it seemed like I was looking down at myself, not knowing what to think.
Ava Ball
Ava’s mother was alarmed to find a lump on the back of her two-month-old baby’s head, but was told by her GP it was a soft spot. The lump had grown to the size of a tennis ball when Ava finally had an MRI scan, aged seven months. A biopsy determined the lump was a primary malignant melanocytic brain tumour with intra as well as extra-cranial components. After surgery, there was nothing more which could be done to save little Ava and she passed away in her mummy’s arms, aged just eight months.Read more
Baljit Mehat
We are grateful to Baljit and his daughter, Simran, who worked with us in July 2022 to share his story here. Sadly, he passed away in March 2023. We remember Baljit as we continue our work to raise awareness of this devastating disease and to fund research to help find a cure. He will be forever in our hearts.
Baljit Mehat, a successful businessman and father-of four from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2021 after becoming shaky and confused on his way to a football match. The 58-year-old underwent a craniotomy in November and a biopsy revealed that his tumour is a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). In January he started taking a drug called AZD1390 in combination with radiotherapy as part of a clinical trial.
Read moreBarry Albin-Dyer OBE
When respected Bermondsey undertaker and family man, Barry Albin-Dyer OBE, started seeing zig zags in front of his eyes, he could not have guessed that a scan would reveal a very aggressive brain tumour near his optical nerve. Determined to survive and be a “Bermondsey boy for years to come”, he underwent gruelling treatments, documented his battle in his blog, and sadly died less than two years later.
“Barry, being Barry, was determined to keep going in to work every day he could. “I’ve got to keep on going,” he would declare, “or I’m a dead man.” Barry had a strong will and a strong Catholic faith, and two those things helped him get through it. He never wanted the cancer to take him over and stop him doing the things he loved. I’ve always thought that was what kept him alive for as long as he was.”
Read moreBecky Speirs
Becky had been suffering with increasingly bad headaches and then vomiting for about 3 months and it was starting to get worse. The doctors missed the signs and failed to diagnose a brain tumour, but I don’t blame them. The outcome would have been the same.
Eventually in May 2009 she collapsed and was taken to hospital where a scan indicated a brain tumour. We were given the official diagnosis on Becky’s 39th birthday – 28th May. She had a glioblastoma multiforme with a prognosis of 12 to 14 months. The neuro-surgeon was unable to get the entire tumour out and said that it was the most aggressive one he had ever seen