A family were hit by a double tragedy after a mum and dad died months apart.
Alexandra Lewis, 38, from Widnes, and her siblings first noticed something wasn't right with their dad Philip Lewis, when he became withdrawn and quiet at the start of January last year.
The family initially thought it might be because Philip was worrying about his wife, Janet Lewis, 71, who was undergoing treatment for advanced breast cancer, until he started struggling to find the right words.
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Alexandra said: “Dad’s whole personality changed. On 27 January, mum was admitted to the City Hospital in Nottingham and, the next day, we noticed dad was struggling to find the right words and was a bit confused when speaking, so we contacted his GP who thought he might have suffered a stroke.
“He was referred to the stroke clinic at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham the next day. He had an MRI scan which revealed he actually had a frontal lobe brain tumour.
“I was in total shock and just couldn’t believe it. I kept thinking: ‘how could this happen?’”
Philip, 73, from Nottingham, had surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. He then began radiotherapy at City Hospital on 16 March – one day after his wife, Janet, died in the same hospital from advanced breast cancer.
After suffering three strokes, Philip moved into a care home before he sadly died four weeks later in hospital, on 21 July 2021, with his son, Nick, by his side.
To remember her dad, Alexandra is marking Brain Tumour Awareness Month this March by taking part in Wear a Hat Day on 25 March in aid of the Brain Tumour Research charity.
Children are invited to come to Alexandra’s dance school in Newton-Le-Willows, wearing a hat of their choice for a small donation. The money raised will help the charity fund research to find effective treatments.
Alexandra said: “ I’m doing this to remember Dad and to raise awareness of this devastating disease.
“It was frightening how quickly he deteriorated. In the end, he wasn’t like my dad and he didn’t know who I was."
Now in its 13th year, Wear A Hat Day has raised more than £2 million for Brain Tumour Research to help fund the fight against the disease.
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.
Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK singularly focused on finding a cure for brain tumours through campaigning for an increase in the national investment into research to £35 million per year. It is also fundraising to create a sustainable network of brain tumour research centres in the UK.
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Alexandra for taking part in Wear A Hat Day as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Philip who are forced to fight this awful disease.
“Unlike many other cancers, brain tumours are indiscriminate. They can affect anyone at any time. Too little is known about the causes and that is why increased investment in research is vital.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
You can register to take part by clicking here.
