Father with brain tumour calls for more research

Adam Chapman, 43, said he and his family had been living through a “nightmare” since his diagnosis last year

A father with an incurable brain tumour has called on the government to fulfil a pledge to spend £40m on research.

Adam Chapman, 43, from Worcester, said he and his family had been living through a “nightmare” since his diagnosis last year and treatments were merely “delaying” the disease.

Mr Chapman has shared his story as part of a campaign by charity Brain Tumour Research, which said the government had only spent roughly a quarter of a £40m funding pot announced in 2018.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the government was "committed" to spending the funding.

Mr Chapman, 43, started having headaches in 2022, six months after his wedding day

Mr Chapman, who has a nine-year-old daughter, started having headaches in December 2022, six months after his wedding day. In the subsequent weeks he also started having balance issues.

He was rushed to hospital in February 2023 as he was struggling to stand or walk and was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of tumour.

“My tumour will continually come back for the rest of my now limited life,” he said.

“All we are doing with treatments is delaying the cancer to give me as long as possible.”

Mr Chapman has had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two operations so far. His memory, cognition, and sight have been severely affected after he had a stroke during his first surgery.

Mr Chapman has had two operations, plus chemotherapy and radiotherapy, to treat his brain tumour

In 2018, the government pledged £40m for brain cancer research, in honour of Dame Tessa Jowell who died from the disease that year.

But Brain Tumour Research said only £11.3m had been spent as of March 2024, according to a parliamentary question on the topic.

The charity is calling on the government to work with them and create a roadmap for deploying all of the funding.

Mr Chapman said it was “frustrating” that the pledged money had not been fully spent and it was vital to raise awareness about brain cancer.

“Without the priceless support of friends and family, who have been living this nightmare with me, things would have been even tougher,” he said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with all those who have lost loved ones or who have been affected by a brain tumour.

“This government is committed to spending the targeted £40m funding for brain cancer research."