Oxfordshire man diagnosed with brain tumour says more funding needed for research
Tom Mayor undertook a 10 month long challenge covering 10km a day to mark 10 years since since diagnosis.
A man diagnosed with a brain tumour has completed a challenge to mark 10 years since his tumour was found.
Tom Mayor ran, cycled or swam 10 kilometres a day for 10 months and raised nearly £4,000 for Brain Tumour Research.
He has lived with “the longest ever hangover” after being diagnosed with a brain tumour which caused an abnormal growth of his hands.
Former semi-professional goalkeeper, Tom Mayor from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, said he has “learned to cope with the pressure” of constant headaches after being diagnosed with a pituitary brain tumour in 2014.
The 34-year-old played for Northampton Town F.C and Leicester City Football Club Youth Academy. He said: “I’ve had a constant headache for the last decade which feels like the longest ever hangover. Being outside helps but nothing seems to alleviate the pain which I have now learned to live with.”
After more tests, Tom who is 6ft 6in and has size 14 feet, was diagnosed with a growth hormone disorder known as acromegaly, made famous through the James Bond villain, Jaws.
Tom currently works as an NHS programme manager. He said: “I’ve always been tall which I put down to my family genes however, doctors told me my height was probably spurred on by the tumour. My hands were large for my age and my fingers would swell up like a pack of large sausages.
"People don't know it can happen to them"
“Doctors told me how rare acromegaly was and how it was even more rare in a 24-year-old male. The tumour was pressing on my optic nerve and I needed an operation to remove it.”
Tom marked a decade since his first surgery, which he nicknames his ‘tumourversary’ by completing 10km of movement every day for 10 months in aid of the charity Brain Tumour Research.
Now his challenge is over Tom told us it managed almost every day;
"I missed my wedding day, and a day in hospital. I got married half way through my 10k challenge and wasn't allowed to run that day, but I did do extra the days before!"
Tom also spoke about TV presenter Davina McCall. She recently revealed she had surgery for a benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst, which she had removed.
He thinks it's a really positive thing that she had been so open in sharing her journey:
"Again it's not only raising awareness but she's being open and honest, Davina is just a human being like you or I.
"People like Davina saying this is a really horrible time for me, but I've had my surgery and got through it, and I'm going ok, normalises that these things happen."
Only 1% of the national spend on cancer research is spent on brain tumour research.
Tom thinks not enough people realise these things can happen to people under 40 and wants people to speak to their GP if they're worried.