A woman from Lanarkshire has spoken out about her family being decimated by deadly brain tumours in a harrowing situation that 'defies belief'.
Claire Cordiner lost her mum and sister to a glioblastoma (GBM) a year apart and now her teenage nephew is on end-of-life care with the same tumour.
The 54-year-old from Wishaw lost her mum Margaret O’Kane at just 66 in October 2008 followed by her youngest sister Angie Jones from East Kilbride who died months later in December 2009 aged just 36.
Angie's only child Max Jones was then diagnosed with a GBM in June 2022. The chances of having three generations in one family experiencing the same deadly brain tumour is less than a one in a billion chance.
Read more: Teenage gangs 'racially and physically' abusing staff at Silverburn McDonald's
Claire explained: "In 2004, Angie started getting pains in her legs, and they would occasionally give way. She also experienced 'jerking movements' in her arms. Her GP sent her to University Hospital Hairmyres in East Kilbride where an MRI scan revealed the tumour.
Claire said: “I was really upset but Angie remained upbeat. She initially refused treatment because she was trying for a second child, but when she was unable to become pregnant she began chemotherapy and radiotherapy at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow.”
In November 2009, Angie was told no more treatment was available to her. On 4 December 2009, she died at home with her husband, Kevin, by her side.
In September 2007, Margaret went to University Hospital Wishaw after thinking she had suffered a mini-stroke.
Claire said: “Mum was discharged and had been OK, but in November she was suddenly unable to hold a conversation. She went back to hospital and had an MRI scan which revealed two brain tumours. I was devastated.
“It was a difficult time because Angie was going through her own treatment, and I was also going through treatment for breast cancer.
"Mum had an operation but they could only remove part of one of the tumours. Mum had one week of radiotherapy but that was it because they didn’t think she would have been able to manage any more treatment. Mum died on 1 October 2008, just a year after being diagnosed.”
In June 2022 Angie’s son, Max, from East Kilbride started being sick a lot and getting pains in his legs. The pain became so unbearable he went to University Hospital Hairmyres where a CT and MRI scan discovered the tumour on his brain.
He underwent surgery to remove the tumour at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow before being transferred to The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow for treatment.
Claire said: “I couldn’t believe it, especially because Max is so young. He was a healthy young man so it was totally unexpected. He had five weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy which was quite intense.
“He was doing OK for a while but he ended up back in hospital in January 2023. Two more tumours were found, one on his brain and one on his spine, so the treatment obviously wasn’t working. Max is now on end-of-life care at Kilbryde Hospice.”
Claire, who now lives in Edinburgh, has said the lack of funding for brain tumours is 'disgraceful'.
She added: "So much more needs to be done to research this cruel disease.”
"Brain tumours have absolutely devastated our family. They are so unpredictable and can affect anyone at any age. I felt totally helpless not being able to do anything for Mum and Angie, and I feel helpless now for my nephew Max.”
Claire is taking part in Wear A Hat Day for the charity Brain Tumour Research on March 31 to raise funds to help find a cure for the disease.
Dr Karen Noble, director of research, policy, and innovation at Brain Tumour Research, said: “To have three generations of one family diagnosed with the same deadly brain tumour is extremely rare; less than a one in a billion chance.
“We occasionally hear of instances where siblings are diagnosed, but this is the first case of its kind we at the charity Brain Tumour Research have been made aware of.
“Currently there is little evidence these tumours are hereditary, but evidently more research is desperately needed.”
Claire has raised over £4,000 for Brain Tumour Research. She has been taking part in Wear A Hat Day since 2016, and in 2019 she shaved her hair off.
Dr Karen Noble added: “Claire’s story is devastating and defies belief. The pain that brain tumours have caused her family is unimaginable and we’re so grateful to Claire for sharing her story with us.
"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 this devastating disease.
“It is only with the support of people like Claire, who is taking part in in Wear A Hat Day, that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Margaret, Angie and Max who are forced to fight this awful disease.”
The theme of this year’s Wear A Hat Day is to look super for science. People are invited to pop a hat on and make a donation at www.braintumourresearch.org/WAHD-2023 or take a selfie to share on social media using #WearAHatDay.
READ NEXT -
Drunk Glasgow care worker turned up at clients' homes and shouted abuse
Paisley schoolboy ran into burning home to save grandparents' dogs from horror fire
Rutherglen MP Margaret Ferrier could face by-election after Commons committee recommends suspension
Fire on Trident nuclear submarine prompts safety concern for West Dunbartonshire residents
Scotland's most popular baby names of 2022 as top spot changes for first time in 14 years
