A SHIRLEY dad who was diagnosed with a brain tumour years after losing his uncle to the same disease is supporting a charity Advent Appeal.
Marcus Elwell was diagnosed with a low-grade haemangioblastoma in 2021 after initially the life-coach attributed his clumsiness and forgetfulness to his ageing and lifestyle.
He said: “I thought, maybe this is what happens when you hit 40 but I couldn’t shake a feeling in the back of my mind that something more could be to blame. Years earlier, my uncle Peter died from a brain tumour which hit me hard, we were really close. It made me take my health more seriously.”
The father-of-three had surgery to remove a golf-ball sized tumour which left Marcus unable to walk and talk.
Sine then the 42-year-old has raised more than £6,000 for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
And this festive season, he is using his own diagnosis to highlight the lack of funding into the disease whilst living with the reality that his tumour can grow back.
In his video as part of the charity’s online Advent Appeal, Marcus said: “I was in a wheelchair at one point but things are looking really up for me.
“Fortunately my brain tumour was low-grade and over the years I’ve been working to raise awareness of brain tumour with Brain Tumour Research who are trying to find cures for future generations.”
The calendar was launched with a message from Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell, who is a Brain Tumour Research Patron and glioblastoma (GBM) patient.
It is hoped the poignant stories it contains will inspire visitors to make a donation to the charity, ultimately helping to find a cure for people like Marcus.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Marcus for continuing to support the charity in different ways. His generosity is helping us to raise awareness into the gross underfunding of research into brain tumours.
“Unfortunately, Marcus’s story is not uncommon. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.”
To watch Marcus’s video on day six of the Christmas Advent Appeal, click here.
