"My brain hurts" - how seven-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumour one year ago

David Howe, 38, will walk 32 miles this Saturday to replicate the life-saving journey his seven-year-old son Oliver took one year earlier.

At 4:30am on September 4, 2020, Oliver walked into his parents’ bedroom feeling unwell.

Dad David recalls: “His exact words were ‘my brain hurts’. Within an hour, he was in and out of consciousness, so we rang for an ambulance.”

Oliver was taken to his local hospital, where a CT scan revealed a mass and a bleed on the brain. Within minutes, he was taken to Sheffield Children’s.

Upon arrival, Oliver was sedated and underwent a detailed MRI scan, which revealed the mass was a rare, aggressive, and cancerous brain tumour.

Dad David continues: “Our family’s world was turned upside down. The surgery alone was very high risk, but without it we were told he wouldn’t be with us much longer.”

The same day, Oliver underwent life-saving brain surgery which lasted almost ten hours. It successfully removed 80 per cent of the growth.

David adds: “When Oliver woke up shortly after, his first words were ‘my brain doesn’t hurt anymore’. It was only the start of our journey, but thanks to the efforts of the team at Sheffield Children’s on that day, he had the chance to get better.”

Thanks to months of treatment, Oliver’s remaining tumour has been shrunk by over 50 per cent and is now in a stable condition.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-howe