A man who started to feel ‘spaced out’ and ‘sick’ while at work in Costco in February was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Philip Boal, 44, was initially told it was just a migraine and to take paracetamol. After his condition worsened, he was given an MRI scan at The Walton Centre in Liverpool, which found a 6cm cyst about to burst on the back of his head and a tumour.
Philip, who is from Ireland and lives with his partner Steve in Waterloo, said: “I was feeling spaced out and was getting bouts of dizziness. But then the sickness began and I had a constant feeling of wanting to be sick.
“Sometimes the floor felt spongy when I walked. It’s all a blur.”
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Philip had surgery on March 22, only a day after he was diagnosed. The whole tumour and the cyst were removed.
Philip's balance had already improved by the following day and, although he was still a bit slow on his feet, felt a lot better. He will walk 26.2 miles in May to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
He said : “I’m still slow at walking and I get really tired, but I’ve got my balance back. I've been walking little bits every day and getting stronger.
“I don't think I will be ready to jog a mile a day but I will be walking a mile every day in May. I feel really passionately about this because there is such a lack of awareness of this devastating disease.”
Brain tumours kill more people under 40 than any other cancer but only 1% of national spending on cancer research has been allocated to the cause, according to Brain Tumour Research. In the UK, 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Philip had a meningioma tumour – the most common form of brain tumour in adults. Most are low-grade and slow-growing.
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Unlike many other cancers, brain tumours are indiscriminate.
“They can affect anyone at any time. Too little is known about the causes and that is why increased investment in research is vital.”
To donate to Philip’s JustGiving page, visit: www.facebook.com/donate/475560370933914
