Heartbreaking moment captures a father being told he has an incurable brain tumour 

‘I’ve had a good life. So that’s it, ain’t it’: Heartbreaking moment captures a father being told he has an incurable brain tumour

  • Geoff, whose last name is unknown, was rushed to Royal University Hospital
  • Scans showed a white mass on his brain – but doctors had no idea what it was
  • A consultant then had to dish out the worst possible news to Geoff

Heartbreaking footage has captured the moment a father was given the devastating news he has an incurable brain tumour.

Geoff, whose last name is unknown, was rushed to Royal University Hospital in Stoke with an excruciating headache. Doctors feared it was a stroke.

Scans showed a white mass on his brain – but his doctor initially had no idea what it could be and warned it may be something ‘very bad’.

A consultant then had to dish out the worst possible news to Geoff, leaving his family who were sitting with him in complete silence.

Geoff, whose last name is unknown, was rushed to Royal University Hospital in Stoke with an excruciating headache. Doctors feared it was a stroke

In a private meeting, the consultant said: ‘There is only a very short list of things that this could be. And the highest likelihood is that it is a tumour.’

But Geoff said: ‘I’ve had a good life. So that’s it, ain’t it.’

TV cameras captured the emotional moment in a hard-hitting new documentary, which aired on Channel 5 last night.

The four-part series – shown after the watershed – reveals what really goes on at the hospital, one of just 22 specialist trauma centres in the UK.

Geoff was admitted for treatment, after being rushed in an ambulance to hospital with excruciating head pain that left him semi-conscious.

The doctor treating him begs Geoff to open his eyes, to allow him to a shine a light and inspect for any signs of brain death.

His family were invited in by medics to try and calm him down. They revealed he hadn’t been well all morning before they dialled 999.

Medics first feared Geoff had suffered a stroke or bleeding on his brain. A CT scan then showed a small but ‘nasty’ mass on the organ.

Scans showed a white mass on his brain – but his doctor initially had no idea what it could be and warned it may be something 'very bad'

Scans showed a white mass on his brain – but his doctor initially had no idea what it could be and warned it may be something ‘very bad’

A consultant then had to dish out the worst possible news to Geoff, leaving his family who were sitting with him in complete silence

A consultant then had to dish out the worst possible news to Geoff, leaving his family who were sitting with him in complete silence

The neurosurgeon then explained they could offer him an operation to try and prolong his life by cutting out some of the mass

The neurosurgeon then explained they could offer him an operation to try and prolong his life by cutting out some of the mass

Pictured, the scans of Geoff's brain, showing the incurable brain tumour

Pictured, the scans of Geoff’s brain, showing the incurable brain tumour

The doctor told his family: ‘The scan is not good, at the moment there is something there. But I don’t know what it is yet. It doesn’t look like a bleed at all.

‘I don’t know what it is. I can’t tell you at the moment but it could be something that is very, very bad.’

While explaining that Geoff was being given steroids to calm down his brain swelling, the doctor told the family a neurosurgeon would look at his case in greater detail.

One of Geoff’s family member asked if he going to die. Being brutally honest, the doctor replied that there was ‘always a possibility’.

The TV crew also managed to capture the meeting between Geoff and the neurosurgeon, who said the easiest way to talk to Geoff was to show him the scans.

He revealed that an MRI scan of Geoff’s brain made it much clearer that the mass was abnormal, before saying it was likely to be a tumour.

The neurosurgeon then explained they could offer him an operation to try and prolong his life by cutting out some of the mass.

Geoff agreed to the procedure and, when asked if he was happy to go under the knife the following day, he said: ‘Just get on with it’.

Upon finding the firm mass responsible for Geoff’s headache, the consultant said: ‘It’s definitely a tumour, there’s no doubt about it.’

WHAT IS A BRAIN TUMOUR? 

A brain tumour is a growth of cells that multiples in an abnormal, uncontrollable way.

They are more common in adults, but children are occasionally affected.

More than 9,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK.

Tumours can be cancerous or not, with cancerous tumours generally growing faster and spreading.

Common symptoms include seizures, vomiting, drowsiness, personality changes, and severe, persistent headaches.

Their cause is unknown, however, previous cancer sufferers and those exposed to radiation are more at risk.

Treatment varies but can include steroids, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

What are the warning signs?

· Persistent or recurring vomiting

· Persistent or recurring headaches

· Balance / co-ordination problems / walking problems

· Blurred or double vision

· Poor balance and co-ordination

· Abnormal eye movements

· Abnormal head position

· Fits or seizures

· Behavioural changes, especially tiredness

· Increasing head circumference in babies

Source: NHS Choices



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