A Norwich man whose son died from a brain tumour, discovered following an eye appointment, is urging the government to ring-fence £110m to find a cure.
Chris Gilmour's son, Steve, died at the age of 45 – less than nine months after his diagnosis in 2022.
Originally from Norwich, and a well-known face on the city’s music scene, Steve later moved to Martham near Great Yarmouth.
Now, his father is supporting a charity’s call to increase government funding to study the disease.
"Until it happens to you, you don’t realise how common brain tumours are,” Mr Gilmour said.
“You think it’s a disease that affects old people, but when it affects your son, it’s quite a shock. A bombshell.
"We desperately need more awareness and fundraising to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.”
With one in three people knowing someone affected by the disease, Mr Gilmour is campaigning with the charity Brain Tumour Research to help reach 100,000 signatures on its petition to increase research funding.
Steve was a graphic designer and would also take action photographs of scenes featuring vintage Action Men figures.
His father described him by saying he “had it all going for him” and was a “lovely lad who never had a bad word to say about anyone.”
After suffering with headaches and vomiting, Steve, who wore glasses, went to the opticians in September 2021 to rule out any change to his prescription.
The optician saw something of concern and sent him straight to the accident and emergecy department at the Norfolk and Norwich hospital where an MRI scan revealed the brain tumour.
Steve underwent surgery the same month at Addenbrooke’s to remove a grade four gliosarcoma, a type of tumour which sees less than 5pc of its patients live for five years or more.
He underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but by April 2022 a scan showed that not only was the tumour back, but it was three times bigger than before.
Steve celebrated his marriage to his partner Hannah on May 14 of that year, in her parents’ garden in Wymondham in the company of 90 friends and family.
Just two weeks later on May 29, Steve died, leaving his family heartbroken.
Wife Hannah Colby said: "Steve was the most creative, imaginative and thoughtful man I could ever have hoped to have met.
“With that came a kindness and gentleness. He will be remembered for the beautiful soul he was.”
Mr Gilmour added: “It was comforting that Steve had such a great band of friends to support him while he was ill and they continue to support me and my wife Josie now.”
Since losing her husband, Hannah, a writer, dancer and event organiser, has set up the fundraising group fittingly called Band Together under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research.
Steve was a drummer in three Norfolk bands: The Booze Brothers, The Hard Working Blues Band and The Avi80rs, playing beside his younger brother Martin and best friend Adam Jarrett.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and yet, just 1pc of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the disease since records began in 2002.
Less than 12pc of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54pc across all cancers.
And now, Brain Tumour Research is calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kick-start an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028.
- To sign and share the petition before it closes at the end of October 2023, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/campaigning/brain-tumour-research-petition
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