A dad was given just 12 months to live after his deadly cancer was mistaken for anxiety.
Robin Hendley, 45, kept waking up in the middle of the night with heart palpitations and feeling as though he was having a heart attack.
The driving instructor then developed ringing in his ears, known as tinnitus, vision problems and an excruciating pain in his head.
"I was having this 'impending doom' feeling when I was going to bed at night thinking I was gonna die because I was having a heart attack," he told My London.
"My head felt like someone had smashed me on the side of the face like someone had slapped me, or like being hit across the face with a cricket bat.
"But I knew it was more than anxiety, I knew I had something wrong with my head."
Just two years ago, Robin was fit and healthy and went to the gym six times a week.
When he started to notice strange symptoms, he visited his GP with the support of his new partner Ollie.
But his cancer went undetected for more than a year as he was told it was down to anxiety.
It was only when Robin insisted on an MRI scan for his ongoing tinnitus that he got the news he was dreading.
In October 2021, the results showed a growth of approximately 5cm on the left temporal lobe of his brain and he was later diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma - the most aggressive brain tumour.
Based on the statistics, life expectancy is approximately 12 months from diagnosis.
"After a year of not knowing what was going, it was an anxious time," Robin said.
"And then I'm told I've got a year. It was difficult not to think 'what's the point in all of this? Why do I keep keep going?'.
"I had expected bad news because I knew this was not just anxiety symptoms but the doctors had been telling me there's no way it was cancer as I was fit and healthy. I was in tears."
Robin underwent surgery at Charing Cross Hospital to try and take away as much of the tumour as possible.
But not all of it could be removed and Robin had to have a gruelling six-week course of radiotherapy and strong chemotherapy.
He also had to give up his job as a driving instructor of 12 years, a job he loved, and enrol on state benefits.
"I loved every minute of my job. There was never a moment I didn't enjoy myself," he said.
"There was never a time that I didn't want to go to work and I was never late and I never missed anything. I just loved it.
"It was where I was the most comfortable, most happy. I loved teaching people to drive.
"I was probably one of the best in the business, the examiners used me as the driving instructor of choice for their children."
Soon the realisation had set in that the NHS had given all of the possible treatments available to Robin and this would not be enough to fight this aggressive tumour.
"I do have those moments where I wake up in the night and think 'oh my god, what will my funeral really be like?' and 'who's going to be coming to the funeral?'" he said.
'"I've had to sort my will out to try to make everything good for everyone I'd be leaving behind, which was quite an ordeal."
He added: "My partner Ollie and mum have been so supportive. I'm just keeping myself busy doing these treatments as best I can and now I'm just here hoping this new treatment is going to work."
After extensive research, Robin found a treatment that might save him at the Immune-Oncological Centre in Cologne.
This involves training the body to control the tumour by using the body's immune system.
Robin travels to the clinic a couple of days after finishing each month's chemotherapy, while still suffering from the side effects.
The treatment is not available on the NHS and Robin has spent £40,000 so far via Universal Credit payments and the philanthropy of an old friend.
He estimates that he will need at least three more, costing at least £25,000 a month. His partner Ollie has set up a fundraiser with the hope of getting Robin this treatment.
So far, it has reached £20,000 of its £200,000 target.
Robin added: "It's really it's quite amazing, it's amazing that people do that. I mean it's keeping me alive.
"Without it, I won't. The tumour will get me quicker, much quicker than doing all these treatments. So, thanks to anyone for any donations."
