'I got drunk after one glass - my doctor called and said to sit down'
Simon Bowler was baffled when he began feeling tipsy after just one drink, a symptom that turned out to be an early sign of skin cancer. In October 2023, Simon noticed he would feel "strange" head fuzz and become intoxicated after a single alcoholic beverage.
A few weeks later, Simon discovered a lump on his neck, which was initially brushed off as a cyst by medics. Persistent health concerns led him back to his GP and eventually to OSD Healthcare in Hemel Hempstead, where an ultrasound uncovered the grim reality of cancer.
Following a biopsy, it was confirmed that Simon had skin cancer; he successfully underwent surgery to remove neck lumps in February 2024. He commenced immunotherapy and repeatedly went through MRI and CT scans for monitoring.
But a November 2024 scan revealed that the cancer had metastasised to his brain. Simon, 50, from Thorley Wood, Hertfordshire, then received Gamma Knife radiotherapy, a precise treatment attacking brain tumours with gamma radiation and continued immunotherapy from March 2025.
He is currently considering his future treatment options during a break.
The tennis coach shared his peculiar experience: "I can usually drink a bottle of wine and not feel anything. But after I noticed the lump in my neck, I realised I was getting drunk after just a glass of red wine.
"I was experiencing blurred vision when trying to switch off from the day. I couldn't relax. I felt a strange head fuzz - it lasted for a few weeks before I started taking steps to sort it out."
Simon's encounter with odd symptoms led him to his GP, who initially diagnosed a cyst and hernia. Days later, a second visit prompted an escalated assessment to a branchial cleft cyst, leading to a referral to OSD Healthcare in Hemel Hempstead for further examination.
Simon said: "I had an ultrasound and a blood test. The ultrasound showed something suspicious, but I needed a biopsy to confirm the type of cancer."
While en route to work, Simon received a pivotal phone call from his doctor. He said: "I was driving to work when I got a call from my doctor. He asked if I was sitting down. I told him I was driving and he asked me to pull over.
"Then I knew it was bad news. He said they suspected cancer and would need to do a biopsy."
Reassuring yet uncertain results came through as Simon's blood tests returned sans signs of malignancy, and a biopsy in December 2023 verified skin cancer. In February 2024, he triumphed over a crucial surgery at Lister Hospital, Stevenage, to extract both lumps.
Simon said: "It was beautiful - the operation was successful as far as they were concerned. However, it involved my neck being cut open and I had over 100 stitches."
Forward-looking treatment included a year-long regimen of nine rounds of immunotherapy, starting in June 2024, complemented by scheduled CT and MRI scans to track his health status.
However, a routine scan later on in November 2024 unveiled that despite previous surgical efforts, the cancer had migrated to his brain.
Simon opened up about his health struggles, revealing: "To be honest, I didn't feel right in my head. I started having blurred vision again and I couldn't switch off at night.
"You cross your fingers that it's not going to be bad news. When they told me it had spread, they said it was just two minuscule melanoma cells. As soon as they said that - and not a mass or tumour - it gave me hope."
In December, Simon turned to Gamma Knife radiotherapy to combat his illness. Fast forward to early 2025, his medical team recommended a powerful combination of immunotherapy drugs known for their harsh side effects.
The drugs, nivolumab and ipilimumab, proved too much after just one treatment in March 2025, making Simon violently ill and leading to severe complications.
A hospital stay ensued, lasting ten days and involving treatment with high-dose steroids that unfortunately resulted in nerve damage to his legs and hands.
Simon said: "I felt numb, battered, lethargic - it was like I'd been hit by a truck. I've got wobbly legs now and a right hand that can barely grip a racket, let alone type. But I'm still trying.
"That hospital stay nearly broke me. When I got home, I'd just burst into tears for days. It stripped away everything that felt like me."
While pausing his treatment, Simon is in talks with his oncology team to plot the way forward. In May, he started a GoFundMe campaign and has since seen generous support, raising almost £7,000.
He will channel the proceeds into launching a new enterprise dealing in tennis gear and has pledged to contribute part of his sales to Macmillan, the NHS, and various mental health organisations.
Simon said: "It's OK to cry. It's OK to admit you're not OK. I've been stripped of a lot of my identity - but I haven't lost my will to keep going.
"I just want to get back to helping people, mentoring young players and showing them what resilience looks like."
For those who wish to back Simon's fundraising efforts, they are encouraged to visit his dedicated page.
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