Dad who was told he had tinnitus died from a brain tumour months later
Doctors suggested chewing gum would help with Brian Goldie's symptoms
Last updated 31st Oct 2023
A dad from Birmingham who was told to chew gum after noticing a ringing in his ear was later diagnosed with a brain tumour that killed him.
Doctors initially thought Brian Goldie, 68, from Bromford, was suffering with tinnitus and suggested chewing gum to alleviate his symptoms.
Months later, in September 2021, grandfather-of-15, Brian began to suffer with headaches and fatigue. He developed a tingling in his arm – which he put down to recently recovering from COVID and having the vaccine. Soon after, he lost feeling down the right-side of his body.
He was admitted to hospital with a suspected stroke. An MRI scan showed a high-grade glioma on his brain stem and he was given months to live.
Tony Goldie, Brian's son, said: “Dad was slurring his speech and seemed confused. We were told that the tumour was inoperable due to where it was growing, and it was aggressive. We were desperate to improve his outcome and asked if there was a clinical trial he could try but there was nothing. His only option was radiotherapy.”
Brian and his wife, Maryann moved to Shard End to be closer to family to help care for him. He had 15 sessions of radiotherapy which finished in December 2021. After which he lost mobility and was bed-bound.
Tony added: “We thought this was a side effect of the radiotherapy. The doctors did various tests and found Dad’s platelet count was low, which was a concern.
"However, in the same breath, we were given positive results of a follow-up scan that showed the tumour and surrounding area had shrunk. Doctors shared their surprise with us, they said this was most unusual for someone with Dad’s type of tumour.”
The family’s optimism was short-lived. As Brian became forgetful, he grew too weak for any further treatment.
Tony added: “Dad couldn’t remember what he’d eaten even if he’d had a meal. His memory travelled back in time to when he was a child.
"He’d ask: ‘What time am I going to school?’ On other days, he woke up thinking he was late for work, as he tried to get out of bed, he soon realised he couldn’t stand or walk. We used to tell him they had given him the day off so he could just relax.”
Since Brian’s death, Tony and his family have raised more than £3,000 for Brain Tumour Research.
They are also campaigning alongside the charity to help reach 100,000 signatures on its petition to increase research funding, in the hope of prompting a parliamentary debate.
Brian's daughter Jade said: “As a family we have learnt the hard way how we desperately need more funding to research brain tumours. We have so many unanswered questions.
“There must be kinder treatment options, more treatment options, life-saving treatment options. We believe more can be done and our hope by supporting Brain Tumour Research, is that no other family has to experience the loss of a family member to this horrendous disease.”
The charity is calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kick-start an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer - yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the disease.
Brain Tumour Research wants the Government to recognise brain tumour research as a critical priority. It says the increase in research investment would put brain tumours in line with the spend on cancers of breast, bowel and lung, as well as leukaemia.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are grateful to Tony and his family for supporting our petition and helping to raise awareness.
“For too long governments have put brain tumours on the ‘too difficult to think about’ pile. Five years after the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research, less than £11 million has been spent. Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose.”
To sign and share the petition before it closes at the end of October 2023, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/petition
We have contacted the government for a response.