Sam Suriakumar was in his bathroom when the smell of a cleaning agent ‘almost filled up (his) mouth’
A father-of-two who received a diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumour after noticing the smell of bleach has urged others in similar situations to ‘hold on to hope and positivity in whatever way you can’.
Sam Suriakumar, 40, was in his bathroom one day in February 2020 when the unusual scent of a cleaning product ‘almost filled up (his) mouth’, leaving him feeling lightheaded. Initially assuming his wife Sindhu had recently been cleaning, Sam dismissed the symptom as likely nothing.
But when the keen fitness enthusiast attended his gym session the next day, the peculiar odour and wooziness returned. During his homeward journey, Sam, a Worcester Park resident, suffered a ‘massive grand mal seizure’ whilst travelling on the London Underground.
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Emergency services transported him to the hospital for examination, where medics identified a ‘large shadow’ on the left side of his brain. He was later diagnosed with a brain tumour on February 4, 2020.
“The smell of ammonia, bleach or some sort of cleaning agent was almost filling up my mouth, it was really strong,” he said. “I felt like I needed to lean against the wall and use the radiator to stand, I felt very strange.”
Looking back on his seizure, Sam then added: “I closed my eyes and it felt like half an hour went by, but we had only moved one stop…I’d seized up so bad that I dislocated my shoulder.”
Whilst the mass remained stable for around two years, Sam received the heartbreaking news in 2023 that it had grown towards the front of his brain. The tumour’s location in areas crucial for speech, memory, and movement renders surgical intervention nearly impossible.
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So, Sam instead underwent 30 sessions of radiotherapy and nine months of chemotherapy to try to halt its growth. His tumour is now in a monitoring phase, and Sam will have scans every six months to better understand the impacts of the treatment.
On July 26, Sam celebrated his 40th birthday, a milestone he didn’t think he would reach. He has tried to turn his situation into ‘something positive’, aiming to encourage and inspire others.
“I’m trying to use my experience to inspire people and turn this into something positive, rather than letting it define me as this poor guy with a sad story,” Sam told PA Real Life. “I want to provide encouragement and inspiration to others, in that we can fight and we don’t have to let it define us.
“Hold on to hope and positivity in whatever way you can.” In 2023, Sam participated in the London Marathon to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research, and through various initiatives, he has raised approximately £60,000 for charity thus far.
To further spread awareness, he took on the role of a supporter ambassador for Brain Tumour Research in 2023, which led him to engage in public speaking and recount his personal experiences.
For others in his situation, Sam said he would send them a ‘massive hug’. “Your brain talks to every single part of your body and it’s so important to have a positive mindset,” he said. “It’s not going to come every single day, but try to find those things that inspire and encourage you to help you move forward.”
For more information, visit the website for Brain Tumour Research here: braintumourresearch.org