A dad's tumour grew outside his skull giving him 14 months longer to live - and time to have a baby. Mike Hawthorn was diagnosed with a grade two meningioma aged 26 following a routine eye test.
After his skull failed to fuse together properly from surgery in April 2021 part of the tumour even seeped out through a crack in the bone. It started growing on the outside of his skull - which actually relieved the pressure on his brain giving him living 14 months more than expected.
During that 14 months his wife fell pregnant and they had a baby born on March 6, 2022. The giant tumour eventually put too much pressure on his brain and Mike died in July 2022 aged just 33.
Mike, a client services manager, left behind his 32-year-old widow, Emily, and five-month-old son, Edison. Now his friends will run the London marathon in his name for Brain Tumour Research. Pals Ben Angliss, Alex and Matt Roberts and their friend Jordan Ganley will run the 26.2-mile race to raise money in his memory.
Emily, of Ashford in Surrey, said: "Following the surgeries Mike’s skull didn’t fuse back together properly. 'Part of the tumour seeped out through a crack in the bone and started growing on the outside of his skull. In one way it was great because so much of the tumour was on the outside, and not pushing on his brain, it gave him about 14 more months of life.''
She added: ''I’m so proud Mike’s friends are taking on the London Marathon, it’s amazing. They did so much for Mike when he was alive, I’m so glad they want to make a difference to other brain tumour patients dealing with this horrible disease. When I tell people about what happened to Mike, and how common brain tumours are, they are always so shocked.''
Before his death Mike had been treated using an experimental drug called Avastin at the Royal Marsden Hospital at the start of 2020. It cost £3,500 per infusion and about £80,000 in total, but it did shrink the tumour.
Subscribe here for the latest news where you live
Eventually, though, the Avastin stopped working. In April the tumour began to grow once more, causing the skin at the back of Mike’s head to split. More neurosurgery was planned to remove the mass, however before that could happen Mike contracted an infection and became too ill for surgery.
Emily added: "I can’t wrap my head around why treatments like Avastin aren’t available on the NHS. It’s all so wrong. 'The Avastin was incredible, it worked so well, and it gave Mike more time with his family and friends.
"It was his dream to have a baby and on March 6, 2022, our son Edison was born. Mike was over the moon, he absolutely adored Edison and we felt complete.
“The week before he died Mike was complaining of excruciating pain. 'He was not one to complain at all, so I know it must have been awful. It seemed too much for an infection, so I pushed for an emergency MRI scan.
“It showed the tumour had tripled in size and the pressure of it had pushed part of his brain down into his neck. It was heartbreaking knowing he had been in so much agony.”
Alex, 33, a carpenter from Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire, met Mike at school and is raising money for Brain Tumour Research UK. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours.
Alex said: “We all played golf together and would be out in Windsor most weekends, we were our own little clan. Mike was always the life of the party, he was funny and witty, the comedian of the group. He was kind too, everybody loved Mike, you couldn’t help it. His death is a massive loss to so many people.
“After Mike died I wanted to raise some money to support Emily, now a widow with a baby. But she said no, she wanted it to go to Brain Tumour Research instead, and I thought ‘yes, Mike would have wanted that’. It’s so important to raise money and awareness for this awful disease.”
Carol Robertson, national events manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Mike’s story is incredibly sad, and our hearts go out to Emily, Edison and all his family and friends. Unfortunately, it’s not unique as brain tumours kill more people under 40 than any other cancer.
“We’re very grateful to Alex, Matt, Ben and Jordan for taking on this huge challenge in Mike’s memory to help raise vital funds for others facing this devastating disease. Together we will find a cure. Our Marathon runners are supported every step of the way, and we look forward to cheering the ‘clan’ across the finish line. If you have your own place through the ballot, we would love you to join our Fighting Force London Marathon team.”
To support Mike’s friends visit their JustGiving page.
