This is the heartbreaking moment a father-of-two was told he has a brain tumour, before being later diagnosed with the same cancer that Dame Tessa Jowell is battling.
Richard Powell, 54, from south London, was rushed to A&E with a suspected stroke after suffering a seizure in the middle of the night.
It later emerged that he had been suffering episodes where he would struggle to speak, which he had believed was down to stress.
However, a CT scan later revealed that he had a mass on his brain, with further tests showing he had a Grade 4 glioblastoma.
Speaking on Channel 4’s 24 Hours in A&E, his wife Mary said: ‘I’m just devastated, absolutely devastated.
Richard Powell, 54, from south London, was diagnosed with a bran tumour after being rushed to A&E following a seizure
‘There’s no point saying it’s going to be alright. All you can do is say that you’re going to be here, whatever happens.’
Richard, who works in the aviation insurance industry, added: ‘In my early days, I took the view that I’d live into my 70s and 80s.
‘To suddenly say Richard, that may not even be an option to you, that’s a real shock. It’s something i’m still coming to terms with.’
The father-of-two was later diagnosed with glioblastoma, the same brain cancer that former Labour Cabinet member Dame Tessa Jowell, pictured, is battling
In Tuesday’s episode of the show, Richard is seen being rushed to A&E with a suspected stroke.
His wife Mary described how she’d woke up in the middle of the night to him having a seizure, with his whole body shaking uncontrollably.
Describing what happened, Richard added: ‘I just opened my mouth and I couldn’t really get my words out. I just couldn’t, I couldn’t come out with any. I feel it’s stress.’
Mary explained how a similar thing had happened during a trip to Inverness, when her husband became emotional and struggled to speak.
Richard, who works in the aviation insurance industry, is seen visibly struggling to speak when the doctor asks him if he can say anything
Richard and his wife Mary (pictured together) were later told the devastating news that he had a Grade 4 glioblastoma
Later in the show, Richard is seen having one of these seizures before having his CT scan.
A nurse asked him whether there is anything that he’s allergic to, but he was unable to reply.
The doctor was then called, who asked Richard to attempt to speak – but he was seen visibly struggling to do so.
About a minute later, Richard was able to talk again, saying: ‘I’m fine, I’m okay’.
Richard was told that it was the mass on his brain that was affecting his speech, rather than his stress or anxiety as previously believed
His wife Mary said she was ‘absolutely devastated’ by the news, adding that ‘all you can do is say that you’re going to be here’
However, the doctor diagnosed that the father-of-two was having focal onset seizures, with the CT scan showing that he had a mass on his brain that was affecting his speech.
Later in the episode, Dr Vijay Nar is seen breaking the bad news to Richard and his wife Mary.
‘On the scan, there is a small mass that we have found.
‘Sometimes it’s very difficult.. it can sometimes be like stress, and it can like anxiety,’ he explained.
Richard had previously put down his struggles with speech down to stress, but they had in fact been seizures caused by his brain tumour
Further tests showed he has a Grade 4 glioblastoma, which is fast growing. He is currently undergoing intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Dr Vijay Nar (pictured) was seen breaking the bad news to Richard and his wife Mary on 24 Hours in A&E
‘What you’re having is real. It’s related to abnormal electric activity created by a small mass.’
It is later revealed that Richard has a Grade 4 glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour, that was fast growing.
He is now undergoing intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with the tumour currently stable.
It comes after it was revealed that former Cabinet member Baroness Tessa Jowell was diagnosed with a brain tumour in May 2017 after suffering two ‘powerful’ seizures in a taxi.
Her diagnosis came as a complete shock as she had previously suffered no symptoms.
Her daughter Jess Mills told FEMAIL in an interview: ‘Just the day before she had been telling me how great she felt.
‘Two days after she was rushed to hospital they found a tumour.
‘Mum was serene and composed and totally grounded, we were all in pieces as you can imagine.
‘She was resolved that whatever it was we were going to fight it tooth and nail, optimistic and bold in her outlook as she always is.’
During a candid interview on BBC’s Today programme, Baroness Tessa, 70, revealed she had ‘no idea’ how long she has left.
Stumbling over her words several times, she added that ‘the tumour bloody well does this to you’.
24 Hours in A&E airs on Channel 4 on Tuesday at 9pm