Charlie Broadhurst, 36, was told the headaches he’d been experiencing for a decade were due to sinusitis and he was advised to visit his optician
A dad was stunned to find out that the headaches he’d been experiencing since 2011 were caused by a brain tumour he’d unknowingly lived with for more than a decade. Initially told he had sinusitis and advised to see an optician after an MRI scan, Charlie Broadhurst’s life took a dramatic turn in January 2022 when he suffered a seizure while recovering from a mild illness.
The seizure led to the discovery of a grade 2 astrocytoma, a revelation that shook his family to the core.
His wife Siobhan, 34, said: “Our whole world fell apart, it was terrifying, we didn’t know how severe it was, but you hear the words ‘brain tumour’ and we just knew it wasn’t good.”
Facing a prognosis of 10 to 20 years, Charlie, 36, from West Hanney, Oxfordshire, shared his devastation: “I crumbled and was horrified. So many thoughts flooded my brain, I had already lost 11 years due to misdiagnosis. I was so angry.”
Reflecting on the impact of the delayed diagnosis, he said: “Had I known in 2011 what I was up against, I would never have done this to my children or wife. Knowing now what they must face, I would have saved them from all of this.”
Discussing the advice to visit an optician, he said: “I kind of left it and, when I did have a headache, made sure I was wearing my glasses a little bit more.”
Since his diagnosis, Charlie has undergone two brain surgeries, with a significant portion of the tumour successfully removed. He also endured six weeks of daily radiotherapy and six months of chemotherapy, which he admitted was “really hard going”.
Despite battling intense fatigue and hair loss, Charlie found a sense of normality in continuing to work between treatment sessions. He is currently under active surveillance, with scans every six months to monitor the tumour.
In response to Charlie’s diagnosis, Siobhan started fundraising for Brain Tumour Research. She has since raised more than £25,000 – with no intention of stopping.
Siobhan, who works as an Early Years Foundation Stage teaching assistant, said: “If Charlie’s symptoms had been recognised sooner, things could have been very different. I’m doing this for him, for our family, and for everyone going through a brain tumour diagnosis. Brain tumours don’t care who you are, they’re indiscriminate and relentless.
“They kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer in the UK, yet research is still so underfunded. That’s why I’m taking on the 88 Squats a Day in July Challenge to raise money and awareness, and to help find a cure.
“Since 2022, I’ve raised over £25,000 for Brain Tumour Research, but I won’t stop until families like ours stop hearing the words ‘you have a brain tumour'”.
Brain tumours claim more lives of children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, and they also take more men under 70 than prostate cancer does.
To support the cause, you can donate through Siobhan’s fundraising page.