Neil Taylor had only been married for months. He and his new wife, Alex, were excitedly expecting their daughter.
But then came sudden seizures that left Neil, and his wife, baffled. Neil was sent for tests to check if he had epilepsy or a sleeping disorder, then the worst happened.
Neil was told that, at just 32, he had an aggressive, incurable brain tumour. “I was 13 weeks pregnant, and we had only just started telling people about the baby, now we had to break the devastating news about Neil’s diagnosis," explained Alex.
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Neil Taylor, now 38, and wife Alex, from Middleton, discovered that they were expecting Annabelle, now aged five, a few months after they married in June 2016. But three months later, in February 2017, months before his daughter was born on 30 August, Neil learnt that he had a grade three astrocytoma brain tumour.
It was nearing Christmas 2016 when Neil had a couple of seizures in the night and was referred to a neurologist for a scan to find out if he had a sleeping disorder or epilepsy. However, on 20 February 2017, the couple were called to the hospital to be told that Neil had a brain tumour in the left frontal lobe.
Neil underwent surgery to take away the tumour, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy and, despite the gruelling treatment, managed to continue to work as a supervisor for McDonald’s in Manchester for a period. He has since taken a sabbatical from work to spend valuable time with Annabelle and his son Harvey, now two-and-a-half.
Even before his surgery, Neil started fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, having discovered that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Yet, just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002, the charity claims.
In 2018, Neil and Alex formalised their fundraising by setting up Neil’s Appeal, enlisting friends and family to join them as #TaylorsWarriors. The fundraising group had raised more than £34,600 before its latest efforts.
At the most recent event to raise funds for research into the devastating disease, Neil watched his daughter perform in her dance school’s 50th anniversary charity production. The total now stands at more than £36,000.
“I was a very proud dad watching my daughter performing her Barbie Girl tap routine on the last night of the week-long production run performed by the Anita Tymcyshyn School of Dancing earlier this month. At the end of the show, Alex, Annabelle and I were called up onto the stage to be presented with a cheque for £1,500 for my fundraising group, Neil’s Appeal, which supports the work of the charity Brain Tumour Research," he said.
Principal of the dancing school, Anita Tymcyshyn (known affectionately as Miss T) said: “Over the 50 years, the dancing school has produced 28 dancing school shows raising close to £100,000 for 36 local charities.
"We always ask the parents to nominate local causes and it was lovely to support Neil’s Appeal because we all know Neil as he often comes with Annabelle to her lessons.
“When we presented the cheque, it was very moving that two other Middleton people came forward, also affected with brain tumours. Research is vital and it is wonderful that Neil is working to help other people in the future diagnosed with this horrible disease.”
Neil added: “I am very grateful to Miss T and all the teachers and dancers for supporting the cause – we desperately need to find more effective treatments for brain tumours and ultimately a cure. I have six-monthly scans to check the tumour isn’t growing back, which is always an anxious time.
“But the reality is that just 12 per cent of those diagnosed with brain tumours survive for more than five years as compared with an average of 54 per cent across all cancers.”
Matthew Price, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Brain tumours are indiscriminate and can affect anyone at any age. Brain Tumour Research is determined to make a difference in the fight to find a cure.”
Neil will be taking on the Manchester Tough Mudder in Heaton Park on 16 July along with his brother, Ryan, and neighbour, Mark Whelan. To add your donation to Neil’s Appeal, visit here
