A GRIEVING Wellesbourne man who lost his dad to a brain tumour is urging people to get involved with Brain Tumour Awareness Month.
Arthur Boyd was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumour and after been told there was no cure and his prognosis was just months regardless of whether he had surgery to remove the tumour or not, he underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.
Arthur passed away aged 69, but in the last weeks of his life he and his son Malcolm talked about fundraising for research into finding more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
Now 36 year-old Malcolm is working with charity Brain Tumour Research to highlight the fact brain tumours kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
The father-of-two said: “The options were so limited for dad and even if he had opted to go for a full craniotomy his prognosis would barely have changed, assuming he actually survived the surgery and wasn’t adversely affected by it either.
“This is why I am supporting Brain Tumour Research – it’s too late for dad, but we want other families with loved ones diagnosed with brain tumours in the future to have the comfort that more effective treatments have been identified and ultimately a cure found for this devastating disease.
“I cannot stand by without doing all I can to change this chronic underfunding. I want dad’s legacy to help find a cure for this deadly disease.”
Brain Tumour Awareness month runs throughout March and finishes with Wear A Hat Day on Friday March 31.
Now in its eighth year, Wear A Hat Day is supported by Debbie McGee who lost husband Paul Daniels to a brain tumour a year ago, and singer, songwriter and record producer John Newman who is awaiting treatment for his second brain tumour.
Malcolm is continuing his fundraising by running the Cotswold Way Challenge – a 100mile four-day ultra-marathon – in June.
Visit www.wearahatday.org to get involved or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/100milesfordad to donate.
