Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Brain Tumour UK gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

I would just like to let you know my story if you would spare me a few minutes of your time.

I am now 44 and apart from one minor hernia op about 3 years ago I have always been relatively fit and healthy. I have worked at the same firm since leaving school, over 28 year now. I'm a lifelong Grimsby Town fan having attended my first match in 1972.

At the end of  January 2008  I began to get headaches and seeing as I work with computers all day, I thought I may need glasses, so I went for an eyetest. Anyway, the opticians obviously saw something was wrong and referred me to my local hospital (Grimsby). Once there I was admitted immediately and a CT and MRI scan later I was told I had this tumour and the next morning I was transferred to Hull Royal Infirmary as they do not do brain ops at Grimsby.

My tumour was a meningioma ,  Luckily for me (if you can say luckily) I have been told  they are 95% sure it is benign and they have removed the entire tumour. It was a long pencil shaped tumour on the top of my brain and they had to open up the top of my head to remove it.

I was in originally for nearly 4 weeks when they did 2 ops. Firstly an embolism to block the blood supply to the tumour which took 3 hours and then the op to remove it which took 6 hours. Two days after my main op I had a seizure, the result of which is that the DVLA have revoked my driving licence for a year and I am currently taking phenytoin tablets to control any further seizures. Luckily, so far I have had no more. I came home after 4 weeks and everything seemed fine but then I noticed my wound was leaking.

I was referred back to Hull and spent a further 6 weeks there and had another 2 ops. Firstly they removed the bone flap in my head which had become infected and then a re-exploration of the main op as my body was rejecting an artificial dura which was put in at the time. During this 6 week stay I was on 12 bags of antibiotics intravenously every day and also had a lumber drain fitted for a similar amount of time to drain excessive fluid in my body.

I’ve came out of hospital the second time in early May 2008 and i've been back at work fulltime since July 1st. Since I have been out I have raised almost £2500  for Brain Tumour UK.

I have been given a second chance and intend to grab it with both hands and enjoy the rest of my life and anything I can do to raise awareness of this awful illness, I will be more than happy to do.

If you would like to sponsor me that would be fantastic. Donations go direct into the bank account of Brain Tumour UK.

I also have more fundraising ideas in the pipeline including a charity football quiz league being held on the first Monday of each month (Starting March 2009) at The Tap & Spile pub in Garth Lane, Grimsby, and in the close season I am going to try and arrange a " Sit on every seat in the ground" challenge at Blundell Park.

Also, I have now successfully reapplied for my driving licence and I am now the proud owner of a 58 reg Fiat Punto Active. I want to thank all the friends and family who were fantastic for the year I was unable to drive but its great now to have my freedom back and not having to rely on anyone.

Thanks for reading ,

Les