A Leeds man was diagnosed with a brain tumour after initially thinking he had long Covid.
Grant Churnin-Ritchie, 42, from Horsforth, was diagnosed with a pituitary tumour in February 2022 after suffering from fatigue. Despite undergoing surgery just four months ago, he completed the Leeds Half Marathon on Sunday 14 May to raise vital funds for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
Grant, who works for Microsoft, said: “Even though surgeons removed the tumour, there is a 20 per cent chance of it growing back. I have an MRI scan in July so I should know more then. Because I only had two months to train for the race, I found it very hard to complete. Luckily, I had my wonderful family and friends cheering me on which got me through it."
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In July 2021, Covid left Grant with “an underlying lethargy” which would not go away. He said: “I kept going to my GP who said I had long Covid. This went on for several months, but I really didn’t feel well in myself and felt it was something more serious. I was so tired, and I was experiencing a tingling sensation in my arms.
“I had blood tests and an ECG at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds which revealed an abnormal heartbeat. The doctors also told me I had cardiomyopathy, which is disease of the heart muscle. I had adrenal insufficiency and hypothyroidism which are both linked to the pituitary gland.
An endocrinologist at St James’s University Hospital said it could be caused by Covid or a pituitary tumour; an MRI scan confirmed it was a brain tumour which had probably been growing for ten years.”
Grant had to wait 11 months for his operation. On 16 January 2023, surgeons removed the tumour at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).
Grant, who also coaches Horsforth St Margaret’s under 15 football team, said: “Soon after, I started to feel a lot better. Removing the tumour allowed some of the adrenal gland to start functioning again. Even though I now have to take medication, I can lead a normal life.
“Being able to run the half marathon with my wife Hannah was great, and I’m glad to be able to raise awareness of brain tumours. I wanted to give something back, and this was my way of saying thank you to the medical teams and Brain Tumour Research for what they do for people with this disease.”
Grant has raised £2,500 so far but is hoping for more because Microsoft has said it will match his total.
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Grant for taking on the Leeds Half Marathon as it’s only with the support of people like him that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like him who are forced to fight this awful disease.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
To donate to Grant’s fundraising page, visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/grant-churnin-ritchie1
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