Myself and my friend Dave Kerfoot are going to run home from work on Friday 12th July covering a full marathon distance to raise money for Brainstrust - a charity raising awareness of brain tumours and supporting those impacted.

Below is the journey that our friend Stuart Dolphin is going through following his cancer diagnosis:

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In August 2018, just less than a year after marrying Alex, Stu suddenly became very ill with dizzy spells and headaches. During this time Stu also began getting his words confused. As a result Stu needed to get checked and was immediately rushed to hospital with scans revealing that he had a brain tumour. He was immediately put on steroids to reduce the swelling on his brain. On the 17th August Stu underwent surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. He was given a diagnosis of a grade four glioblastoma - the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Stu received a prognosis of 12-18 months. His optimistic approach to life meant that he remained positive and continued to live his life to the full.

Stu spent every day at hospital for the next six weeks. He received a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The hope was that the treatment would slow down the growth of the tumour.

In November 2018, Stu spent his 30th birthday in Budapest following a short break from his treatment. Almost immediately after he returned home, he started having more headaches and as such his steroids were increased. Another scan was scheduled for just after Christmas, and in January Stu received news that the tumour had grown again.

More surgery followed but this time Stu did not recover as well as he did previously, becoming very unwell with an infection. He eventually fought off the infection after an extensive stay in hospital. The removal of the tumour had also affected his speech, leaving Stu struggling to find the right words. 

Before his diagnosis Stu was most happy on the football pitch, playing golf, watching his beloved Preston North End, going to the the gym or walking his dog. He worked hard for his career at BAE Systems, and enjoyed his job as Project Manager. 

The thing about brain tumours is that they have a dramatic impact on the quality of life of those affected. Personally Stu has found that his diagnosis has left him with physical differences such as; mobility problems, fatigue, epileptic seizures, weight gain and hair loss. Besides this he has also lost his driving licence, is unable to work, spends less time with friends, unable to play sport and lives in a world of uncertainty. 

Throughout this time, Stu has received support from family, friends and NHS staff. He has also received great support and answers from The Brainstrust. The charity campaigns for better understanding of brain tumours, helps people feel less isolated, provides NHS accredited information to help people with a diagnosis become stronger, and more resilient. The charity help people get back on their feet as soon as possible, and they support research to improve people’s quality of life.

Brainstrust hold local meet-up groups for people with a brain tumour diagnosis, and their carers. Stu was recently invited to a meet-up in Preston at Pizza Express but unfortunately on the day he wasn’t well enough to attend. However, his wife and sister attended and met others who were in a similar situation. It helped them both to speak to people who truly understood.

Some facts about brain tumours... 

• 60% of people diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour will not survive one year 
  
• Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40
• Brain tumours kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer 
• Brain tumours kill more women than cervical cancer 
• ….yet less than 2% of the £500 million invested in to cancer research in the UK every year is spent on brain tumours. 

Stu received one of the charities Brain Box’s which is full of useful information for people with a new brain tumour diagnosis and their carers. 

Stu has now started an alternative form of chemotherapy, and is hoping to have more success with this treatment. He looks forward to spending more time with his family and friends doing the things he enjoys most! 

On a final note, we would like to say a massive thank you to Chris and Dave, for choosing to raise awareness of brain tumours and Brainstrust. It means a lot to us both that more awareness is raised of this terrible disease. Good luck Chris and Dave for the run, we wish you all the best! 

Stuart and Alex 

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Doing this sponsored run is just one small thing that we hope can go a long way to raising awareness of brain tumours and the charity that's supporting both Stu and his family. I (Chris) miss Stu every day at work, and not one day goes by without me thinking of him and his family. I believe the sheer amount of people who ask me every day how he's doing, goes to show what impact Stu has had on everyone's lives.

Every penny helps so i'm asking for everyone to help us raise as much money as possible to support this great charity. Thank you!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.