Young footballer supports brain tumour fundraiser

Ollie Leach was an apprentice at MK Dons when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020

A man who had to stop playing football after being diagnosed with a brain tumour has encouraged people to join a charity keepy-uppy challenge.

Ollie Leach, 21, from Baldock in Hertfordshire, was an apprentice for MK Dons when he was diagnosed in March 2020 aged 18.

He had the tumour removed in September 2020 but was unable to resume playing due to vision issues.

The one million keepy-uppy challenge aims to raise money for research.

It was started by the charity Brain Tumour Research, and MK Dons kicked off the challenge last week by encouraging supporters to complete 10,000 keepy-uppies.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet, historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the disease, the charity said.

Mr Leach had an eight-hour operation to remove the tumour

Mr Leach was diagnosed after experiencing double vision and informing the club physiotherapist.

After an MRI scan, he was diagnosed with a low-grade germinoma.

"It was a lot to comprehend and didn't feel real because I was so healthy, exercising a lot and eating well," he said.

Mr Leach's family crowdfunded for private treatment in Turkey and the tumour was removed in September 2020.

"The operation took eight hours and my surgeon said it was the hardest he'd performed in his 25-year career," he said.

"I woke up in intensive care knowing I was OK because I wasn't blind or paralysed, which were some of the risks I'd been warned about.

"I had a condition called parinaud syndrome though, which causes your eyes to fix downwards. It got better after a few days, but I still see double when I'm not looking straight ahead.

"My surgeon told me he looked forward to the day I'd play football again but I've not been able to.

I tried coaching for a while but, ultimately, that wasn't for me."

Mr Leach said he was "very lucky" to survive

The York St John University student underwent five weeks of proton beam therapy in January 2021 and is now being monitored with annual scans.

He is due to have surgery to correct his vision problems.

Mr Leach said he hoped the keepy-uppy challenge, which coincides with the World Cup, would raise "lots of awareness and funds" to "allow the charity's scientists to continue their vital work to help find a cure for brain tumours".