A heartbroken Nottinghamshire father of two has said his life will never be the same after losing the "girl of his dreams" to a very rare form of cancer. It comes after his beloved wife and soulmate was diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (ATRT) after suffering from headaches.
Christopher Wright, now a devastated widower of Newark, Nottinghamshire, recalled the day when his wife Amanda went for a nap and "never woke up". It happened on January 24 last year - a tragic day that "torn apart" the family including their two children. Mr Wright met the "love of [his] life" back in school, when they were only 14. "I have never looked at another women ever since", he added.
He works as a chimney sweep, while Ms Wright was a teacher for 20 years at Barrowby CofE Primary School in Grantham. They got married in 2007 and had Lily and Oliver, who were aged just seven and three respectively, when their mother died. Ms Wright started suffering from headaches in August 2020. "Back then she thought it was only a virus", the heartbroken man recalls. They went to the Queen's Medical Centre but it was not until later in September when she got the correct diagnosis.
Mr Wright said: "She woke up saying that she had double vision and we went to the hospital again. She had a biopsy and after that we were told that she was suffering from a very rare form of brain cancer. Amanda was such a kind person, and she was always smiling. She was very positive. She thought that because it was such a rare form of cancer that would make doctors even more interested - she had a lot of hope. She started radiotherapy straight away."
Just before Christmas, the couple went to the hospital again for an MRI scan. Mr Wright said he was "shocked" to see the progress made thanks to the treatment, and he said the positive results were "their Christmas present".
But their hopes of a positive future were cut short on the evening of January 24, when Ms Wright said she was tired and went for a nap at around 5pm. Mr Wright went on to keep the children quiet to allow her to rest. However, when he came back into her room he found that she had died, aged only 43. "She went for a nap and never woke up", the devastated widower said.
She was taken by an ambulance shortly to the hospital. Mr Wright said that he spent hours next to her bed, before returning home at around 3am the following morning. He added: "My life was gone. My best-friend, the girl of my dreams, the life of my life was gone."
After returning home, he said that he had to break the devastating news to his two children who were wondering where their mum was. "I was straight-forward and honest with them. I told them that mummy is gone. It torn our family apart. I am their dad still, I am trying my best, but I fail at times. Nothing can ever replace Amanda", the heartbroken dad added.
The funeral was held at the beginning of February 2021, where only 13 people attended due to Covid restrictions. "I am sure that hundreds would have attended. Everyone loved Amanda." To honour his wife and love of his life, and also help medical research in this area, Mr Wright raised almost £14,000 for Brain Tumour Research. Him and Ms Wright's mum Rosemary Dolby were invited to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London on March 15 to place tiles on the Wall of Hope in her memory.
Ms Dolby said: “Although it’s too late for Amanda, I don’t want other families to go through what we have so it’s some comfort to think that Amanda’s legacy is helping to find better outcomes for brain tumour patients in the future." Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. Each tile placed on the Wall on Wednesday represented the £2,740 it costs to fund a day of research and celebrates the fundraising achievements of the family or supporter involved.
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Amanda’s family for their support and hope they inspire others to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research. Amanda’s story reminds us that just 12.5 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.
"We cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Brain Tumour Research is determined to change outcomes for brain tumour patients and ultimately find a cure.”
Matthew Griffin, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “This is a very rare and aggressive brain cancer. The clues to diagnosis are similar to those that indicate other brain tumours, such as new-onset headaches out of character for the patient, particularly if associated with other symptoms such as vomiting and visual changes including double vision.
“If anyone is concerned by the onset of new symptoms they should arrange to see their GP as soon as possible”.
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