The photo above is of our beautiful three-year old Roux Owen. On Sunday 23rd April 2023 I will be completing the London Marathon to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. I’ve never run a marathon but I’m determined to get through it for everybody who has been affected by Brain Tumours. Brain tumours are indiscriminate, we are fully aware of this and the damage this disease has caused our family and so many others is indescribable. Enough is enough and we need to find a cure and better treatments. We are one of the ‘lucky ones’, Roux is still here but the damage the tumour has done has robbed Roux and us of so much. Unfortunately, we continue to lose so many from this disease, and come marathon day, I’ll be running for everybody who has been affected and who we have lost to this awful disease: Amani, Owen, Tom and everybody else….

Roux’s story:
At four weeks old Roux was diagnosed with a tumour the size of two oranges, which had taken over half of his brain. We were told by the staff at Leeds General Infirmary to say goodbye to our baby boy as he was whisked away for emergency brain surgery. An operation that doctors said iwas highly unlikely he would survive. A totally inconceivable situation for any parent.

Roux being Roux, came through that surgery and twelve  more since. His non-cancerous tumour, not only incredibly rare, but even rarer for it to be diagnosed in a child.

The damage caused by the tumour is not fully known due to how rare the tumour is and Roux’s age. Only time will tell what impact it has had and what support he will need long term. 

The damage caused means Roux currently faces the following challenges:

Hydrocephalus 

Cerebral Palsy

Poorly controlled Epilepsy

Impaired sight

Developmental delay

Unable to walk

Although Roux is now 2 years clear of tumour, 6 monthly MRIs, shunt malfunctions, and the frequency and unpredictability of his seizures mean life is incredibly tough at times and we are currently waiting to see if Roux can have further surgery to assist with controlling his epilepsy.

Please, if you can, donate to help towards ending this disease and ensuring that we stop losing others..

You can read in more detail about Roux’s journey here:

My blog: 

https://toneo11.wordpress.com/2020/02/20/the-fight-of-our-lives/

Twitter:

 @toneo

Instagram: 

Roux’s Army

Brain Tumour Research:

https://www.braintumourresearch.org/stories/in-hope/in-hope-stories/roux-owen

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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.