It was a cold day in December when Mark Tindale’s phone began to ring. It was a call from an unknown number. When he answered, he was met by a voice he didn’t recognise.
On the other end was a doctor from Sheffield Children’s Hospital regarding his son Jake. The news Mark was about to hear was so awful that Jake’s mum Katie was unable to tell him herself.
“She said she was so sorry, but Jake has a brain tumour,” Mark, from Bury , said. “Those words and that moment will remain with me forever.
“I was inconsolable, and I couldn’t process those unbearable words. I was utterly petrified at the thought of what my 15-year-old boy was about to go through.”
Mark and Katie first realised something was wrong when Jake blacked out and collapsed at home in 2020. Jake, now 17, was rushed to hospital where he had an MRI scan.
Devastatingly, following several more scans, Jake was diagnosed with an astrocytoma brain tumour. Because of Covid restrictions, only Katie was allowed to be with him when he was given earth-shattering news.
Mark, a printing services manager, said: “Jake rang me and said, ‘Dad, can you believe it, I have a brain tumour, how rubbish is that!’ I couldn’t believe it, there wasn’t an ounce of fear in his voice. The positivity and strength he demonstrated was unreal. He was so inspirational and I’m so proud to be his dad.”
On 23 December, Jake underwent a seven-hour operation to remove the tumour. The neurosurgeon told his parents he was confident the cancer had been completely removed. Twelve weeks later, an MRI scan gave Jake the all clear.
Mark said: “It was like Jake was re-born again and it made me realise how life can change so quickly. The news was fantastic, like he’s been given a second chance and he’s now making the most of life, and he went to his first music festival with his friends in the summer. It’s great and he deserves it.
“Jake’s been on an incredible journey and his attitude has been amazing to help get him through.”
In August 2022, Jake’s first yearly scan came back all clear and he recently started a music production course at Eckington sixth form college in Sheffield.
Last week, Mark took on the 26.2-mile London Marathon course on October 2 to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours.
It was his third fundraising run after successfully completing the Blackpool Half Marathon in April and the Accrington Ron Hill 10k in September.
He said: “I just want to give something back in the hope of finding a cure so that other families don’t have to go through what our family has gone through.”
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We are so happy to learn that Jake’s recent scan came back all clear. That’s wonderful news and it’s great that Jake is enjoying life like a 17-year-old should.
“We’re really grateful to Mark for the fundraising races he’s taken part in, and we wish him the best of luck for the London Marathon on Sunday. He is raising vital money which will progress our research into brain tumours which will improve the outcome for patients like Jake who are forced to fight this awful disease.”
Mark is still fundraising through his JustGiving page. To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Mark-Tindale2 .
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