Oxfordshire man's 'hangover headache' turned out to be a brain tumour

A man 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.

“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 had three operations over four years, removing more than half the mass. He has been left with life-changing conditions including diabetes insipidus - an excessive thirst that without medication means he can drink up to 15 litres a day.

He said: “I’ve probably had the tumour my whole life and despite surgery, it’s still growing. I’ve been told that another operation would be too risky which means they would try me on radiotherapy.

“Throughout my diagnosis I feel as though I have been poked and prodded and had hormone replacement therapy. I’m now receiving a trial injection to regulate my hormones which I will be on until any further treatment is needed for my tumour.”

Tom is marking 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.

He said: “My challenge will include running, cycling, swimming and any other method of movement I can do for that length of distance. As with the complexities of living with a brain tumour, there might be some days where I feel motivated to complete more than 10km, compensating for other days when my body won’t let me out the door. When possible, 10km will be the goal, every day until the 31 October 2024.”

Adding: “This isn’t just about me. 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 this devastating disease since records began in 2002. I'm determined to do my bit to change that.”

Tom will be updating his progress on his instagram @10kadaytom