Kidderminster man who died from a brain tumour last year described as someone who 'loved his family'
Ryan Hughes died on the 12 December 2024 and has been described as someone who was a hard worker
The family of a Worcestershire man who died from a brain tumour last year have described him as someone who was 'respected by everybody'.
27-year-old Ryan Hughes from Kidderminster passed away on 12 December 2024 after he was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.
The former county rugby player was regarded as a 'fit and healthy young man' who was first diagnosed with a glioblastoma in October 2017.
After developing a headache after a rugby weekend, a CT scan at Worcestershire Royal Hospital revealed a bleed on the brain.
Ryan was then said to have been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where an MRI confirmed at the back of his brain he had a 4cm tumour.
His dad Paul said the diagnosis came as a complete surprise to them all.
"We were in complete shock," he said,
"Nothing prepares you to hear your child has a brain tumour, it felt like a TV drama, surreal and impossible to absorb, we just couldn't take it in.”
Following the discovery of the tumour, Ryan then underwent six hours of surgery at the Queen Elizabeth in December 2017 to remove 90% of it, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
He responded well to treatment and was home for Christmas just weeks after surgery and soon became a dad to daughter Mia in 2021 and married his wife Meagan in 2023.
In May 2024, Ryan began repeating conversations, and despite his routine scan initially appeared clear, his condition worsened, and a second MRI at the Queen Elizabeth revealed a new tumour at the front of his brain.
Ryan underwent treatment but this time surgery was not an option, he died at home on 12 December 2024, surrounded by his family.
"Losing Ryan has left a hole in our lives that can never be filled," dad Paul said.
"In those final weeks, he was surrounded by the people who loved him most, we cared for him at home, and as heartbreaking as it was, we made sure he knew how much he was loved every single day.
"What we’ve been through has shown me just how urgently more research is needed, brain tumours take too many lives, and without more funding, nothing will change, we need better treatments and real hope for families like ours.”
This year on 19 July, 58-year-old Paul, along with a team of supporters and friends, joined fundraising group Raising4Ria to climb Wales’ highest peak Snowdon, raising vital funds for Brian Tumour Research.
Raising4Ria was formed in memory of Ria, who also died from a glioblastoma in her twenties.
Ryan had also previously joined Paul in the Aberdovey Bike Ride in 2019 to raise funds for the charity.
"Everybody respected Ryan, everybody cherished him, he really was almost the backbone of our family, he was just so supportive," his mum Sarah said.
"We raised a lot of money for the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham to go towards there cancer unit so we're very proud of what Paul has done and the money that everybody is raising to help and make awareness of brain tumours and the ongoing research.
"He was a hard worker and he loved his family, we're just grateful that we've been able to do everything that we've done with Ryan and we're going to carry that on now with with his own family.
"It's also important to us that other people can see that after all the sorrow and the bereavement that you go through when you lose a child, you have to fight for them and fight for a cause, which is what we are doing."
In total through the walk, the team raised £3,595 for Brain Tumour Research, which funds long-term research at dedicated Centres of Excellence across the UK.