Latest news with #brainTumor
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
My memory blips and headaches were a tumour that deformed my skull over 15 years, says Hollyoaks actor
HOLLYOAKS actor Craig Russell says he "nearly died" due to a lime-sized brain tumour that grew undetected for more than a decade and 'deformed' his skull. The 48-year-old first noticed he was experiencing memory loss, confusion, migraines and brain fog in September 2022. 10 10 By January 2023, Craig was "all over the place" and his wife Kate, 40, urged him to get his symptoms checked out by a GP. Tests showed the Welsh actor, writer and producer - known for his roles in TV shows such as Hollyoaks and Netflix's Queen Cleopatra - was going blind in his left eye. Meanwhile, a non-cancerous tumour the size of a squashed lime was found growing in his brain, so large it was 'deforming' his skull. 'It stopped me in my tracks, I never thought it would happen to me,' Craig - who lives in Falmouth, Cornwall with Kate and their two sons - said. Doctors reckoned it could have been growing slowly for 15 years. Craig underwent a risky operation to get rid of the mass and rebuild damaged parts of his skull in March 2023, which could have killed him or left him blind. 'There was a very real chance I wouldn't survive the operation because one little mistake and that's it, or at best I could come out blind or have a stroke," the actor said. The actor suffered complications following the surgery but has since recovered fully and has been able to finish his latest film, Protein, that's been 10 years in the making. 'Someone asked me if I thought I'd ever see the film finished, which was a sobering idea as I nearly died before it came out,' Craig said. 'I'm so glad I was there to see it, so I just have a lot of pride for everyone involved. Beaming Davina McCall reveals she's got all clear from brain tumour after life-saving surgery 'I feel lucky to have had a brain tumour in a way because I've learnt so much about life, people and resilience.' In September 2022, Craig noticed he was experiencing out-of-character symptoms – such as memory loss, confusion, migraines and brain fog. He also heard a 'whooshing' sound emerge from the back of his head when producing a scream during filming for the movie Edge of Summer, which 'nearly caused [him] to collapse'. Craig was told by doctors that they'd "found something" in his brain after his GP visit in January 2023. 10 10 10 10 He was referred for further MRI scans towards the end of February and the actor was told he had a large, non-cancerous tumour growing in his brain, roughly the size of a squashed lime. Doctors suspected the tumour was a meningioma – a benign tumour that forms in the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. This diagnosis was confirmed after his surgery. 'The tumour got so big it pushed my skull up and out, it deformed the back of my head,' Craig said. He was told the best course of action was to surgically remove the mass, but there could be risks. Symptoms of a benign brain tumour A benign brain tumour is a mass of cells that grows relatively slowly in the brain. Benign means it in not cancerous. Non-cancerous brain tumours tend to stay in one place and do not spread. Some slow-growing tumours may not cause any symptoms at first. When symptoms occur, it's because the tumour is putting pressure on the brain and preventing a specific area of the brain from working properly. As the tumour grows and increases pressure in the skull, you might experience: New, persistent headaches that are sometimes worse in the morning or when bending over or coughing Feeling sick all the time Drowsiness Vision problems, such as blurred or double vision, loss of part of your visual field and temporary vision loss Epileptic seizures that may affect the whole body, or you may just have a twitch in one area See a GP if you develop any of these symptoms. They'll examine you and ask about your symptoms. If they suspect you may have a tumour or are not sure what's causing your symptoms, they may refer you to a brain and nerve specialist for further investigation. Source: NHS 'My surgeon explained my tumour had been growing there for about 15 years, and it appeared to have enveloped all the important stuff I needed to survive,' the actor said. Craig's seven-hour operation on March 6 2023, at the Derriford Hospital in Plymouth involved cutting away a piece of his skull, which had become damaged by the tumour. From there, the tumour was removed and part of his skull was rebuilt from a plastic-concrete mix, held in place by bolts, before everything was sealed with '55 staples' into his scalp. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and the tumour was removed in its entirety. After suffering subsequent complications with swelling and excess fluid building up on his brain, Craig said he has since made a full recovery, finding weight-lifting helped the fluid to drain naturally. 'My head still hurts occasionally but I'm now back to full health,' Craig said. 'Listen to your body' In March 2024, Craig spoke in parliament to call on the UK Government to release more funding for research into the disease, and in September that year, he became an ambassador for Brain Tumour Research to champion for others impacted. New treatments for meningiomas, could be on the horizon, as researchers at the University of Plymouth have identified a protein that plays a significant role in their growth, according to Brain Tumour Research. By blocking the protein, researchers were able to slow or halt tumour cell growth in laboratory settings, unlocking the potential for new treatments, which Craig said is 'a big step forward'. Craig's latest film, Protein, which is currently out in select cinemas, marked an emotional experience for the actor as there was a chance he may not have seen the film's release. Protein is in select cinemas now and will be released on digital platforms from July 14. The actor is urging others to pay attention to worrying symptoms. 'If I had truly listened to my body, this would have all been done and dusted years ago – so if you think you've got something wrong, please just go and see your doctor.' 10 10
Health Line
2 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
Oligodendroglioma
Oligodendroglioma is a rare tumor that develops in the brain with no known cause. It tends to have a higher survival rate compared to most other brain tumors, but early diagnosis and treatment are key. Oligodendroglioma belongs to a group of brain tumors called gliomas. Gliomas are primary tumors. This means they originated in the brain rather than spreading from elsewhere in the body. The National Brain Tumor Society reports that around 1.2% of all brain tumors are classified as an oligodendroglioma. They are typically divided into two types: grade 2 (slow growing) grade 3 (fast growing) Oligodendroglioma is more commonly diagnosed in adults, though young children can also be affected. Life expectancy and survival rate According to the American Cancer Society, the 5-year relative survival rate for people with an oligodendroglioma is as follows: 90% for those ages 22 to 44 years 82% for those ages 45 to 54 years 69% for those ages 55 to 64 years The relative survival rate suggests how long someone with a condition may live after receiving their diagnosis compared to someone without the condition of the same race, sex, and age over a specific time. This is different from overall survival rate, which is a percentage of people still alive for a specific time after receiving a diagnosis. It's most important to remember that these figures are estimates, and everyone is different. You can talk with your doctor about your specific condition. Several factors can affect your survival rate, including the grade of the tumor and how early it was diagnosed, as well as your overall health. Symptoms Oligodendroglioma can lead to a wide variety of symptoms. Seizure is the most common symptom — about 60% of people experience a seizure before receiving an oligodendroglioma diagnosis, according to the National Cancer Institute. Other symptoms include: headache cognitive changes weakness or numbness in the limbs issues with balance or movement However, the symptoms you experience can vary based on the size of the tumor and which part of your brain the tumor is growing in. What are the causes? There are no known causes of oligodendroglioma. Genetic changes are thought to play a role in the development of oligodendroglioma. Factors such as radiation exposure may also increase the risk of developing this type of tumor. Treatment options There are a number of treatment options available. You and your doctors will work together to decide what's the best course of action is in your case. Your medical team will base their decisions upon a number of factors, including: your overall health the grade and location of your tumor the final diagnosis given by a neurosurgeon Surgery Surgery is typically the first-line treatment for oligodendroglioma. The goal is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Other treatment If the tumor cannot be completely removed with surgery, additional treatment may be used to avoid recurrence, such as: Radiation therapy: This involves the use of high energy rays. It's typically used after surgery to help kill any tiny fragments of the tumor that may remain. Chemotherapy: This treatment uses cytotoxic drugs to help kill cancer cells and can be used before and after radiotherapy. It's also useful for shrinking brain tumors, particularly those that cannot be surgically removed. Targeted therapy: This treatment can be used to slow tumor regrowth. Clinical trials: Your doctor may recommend enrolling in a clinical trial to test potential new treatment options. Antiseizure medication: If you experience seizures, these medications will likely be a part of your treatment plan. Outlook and recurrence The outlook for oligodendroglioma tumors depends on factors such as the tumor grade, the overall health of the person with the diagnosis, and how early the tumor was diagnosed. People who receive a diagnosis and begin treatment early have a higher chance of survival. Overall, those who have an oligodendroglioma tend to have a higher survival rate than most other brain tumors. Many treatment options are available, and oligodendroglioma appears to respond well to treatment. It's unusual to be able to completely remove the tumor, but it's possible to prolong the life of someone with an oligodendroglioma. Successful treatment plans often employ several methods. This reduces the chance that the tumor will recur. Like all other gliomas, oligodendroglioma has a very high rate of recurrence and often gradually increases in grade over time. Recurrent tumors are often treated with more aggressive forms of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Former Marine Turns Health Scare Into B2B Wellness Media Startup
Anthony Vennare built Fitt Insider—a B2B platform that focuses on the business of health and wellness. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Anthony Vennare tried to live a healthy lifestyle. As a former Marine and founder of multiple gyms, he meticulously tracked his workouts, supplements, and health data. "I was insanely fit, using every wearable, taking supplements, tracking food down to the ounce," he says. "But I still got cancer." Vennare was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 30. He underwent treatment during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, isolated and uncertain about his future. A few years later, the cancer returned, forcing him to confront his mortality all over again. Vennare had watched multiple family members, including his father and grandmother, die from brain tumors. When he got his diagnosis, it felt like a death sentence. But despite the tragic news, Vennare did something unexpected. He ditched the supplement hype and performance-obsessed culture and poured his energy into building Fitt Insider, a media platform that shares industry news and insights. Vennare shared his courageous story in the latest episode of One Day with Jon Bier. Built on facts, not fluff Fitt Insider was never about profit. Vennare started it with his brother as a newsletter to make sense of a trillion-dollar industry—and share that info with business leaders in the space. "It wasn't meant to be a business at all," said Vennare. "I wanted data. I wanted news. I wanted a filter and a curation lens that gave me trust and the things I need to know about." But the insights were so valuable that they gained more readers organically. By 2020, the audience had exploded. It turned out that there was a huge audience hungry for trustworthy, well-curated analysis. From its humble beginnings, Fitt Insider has evolved into a hub for health and wellness operators, including a job board, recruiting firm, podcast, consulting services, investment fund, and a B2B event series. "We reach hundreds of thousands of people every week. No nonsense. No fluff." Related: 4 Things Every B2B Brand Should Be Doing to Earn Trust in 2025 Sticking to the basics Vennare says the lack of regulation in the health and supplement industry allows bad actors to profit from misinformation and ineffective products. "There's just so much nonsense and so much being sold to the consumer from every creator," explains Vennare. "There was a study that came out that said that a large percentage of supplements on Amazon have no traces of the actual ingredient that they're selling." He believes much of the wellness industry is hype. Most people don't need tech-forward solutions or diagnostics with one hundred biomarkers. They simply need to make some free and easy lifestyle changes. "A majority of the people, especially in the United States, need to walk, eat healthier, be active, be off their phones, and be a little bit more social." After two serious health scares, Vennare no longer believes in biohacking or "doing everything right" as the answer. He stripped his routine down to the essentials. Related: The Supplement Business Has a Trust Problem. This Tech Startup Wants to Fix That. Relying on integrity Fitt Insider maintains a level of editorial integrity that's rare in B2B media. It's that grounded perspective that drives Vennare's work today. He's no longer interested in chasing flashy exits or jumping on wellness fads. Now in recovery, Vennare is focused on living simply, staying active, and building something lasting. "I'm not chasing optimization anymore," Vennare said. "I just want to feel good, look good, and be active." Related: 70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025
BBC News
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
DIY SOS to help teenage boy finally return home after years in hospital
A severely disabled teenager who has been in hospital for nearly three years "hasn't stopped smiling" after hearing the BBC's DIY SOS team are coming to help him move back home, his father Flemen had a life-saving operation to remove a brain tumour when he was 13, but it left him severely disabled and unable to return home to Freckleton in SOS host Nick Knowles and his team are aiming to make the adaptations at the family's property so Daniel can father Nigel Flemen, said welcoming his son home would "mean the world because we've been so fractured for so long". Daniel went to the doctor in October 2022 with flu-like symptoms and a sore throat, and he was later sent to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for tests, including a CT family were told that Daniel had a mass on his brain that was probably a tumour, a diagnosis that was later confirmed at the Royal Manchester Children's had a stroke during a 12-hour emergency operation to save his life, which left him unresponsive and in intensive care for three months. Daniel, now 16, is currently on a respiratory ward at the Manchester hospital as he requires non-invasive ventilation at Flemen said he and his wife Julie had been "living separate lives" for the past three years as he works while she goes to see their son. He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The travelling to and from Manchester - 50-odd miles each way every week, several times a week - it takes a toll on you. Daniel, who needs hoists and help with all aspects of his personal care, and is fed via a naso-gastric tube, has been making small improvements in recent SOS is a long-running TV series that features a team of builders and volunteers coming together to help families in need by renovating their homes. Mr Flemen said the DIY SOS team have a "huge job" converting the house for his return. He said: "Extensions are required, more accommodation for the family, landscaping to make the drive, the front and the rear of the house accessible."These are all things that you never really think about until you've got a wheelchair and a member of the family in that position who needs that additional space and help."Mr Flemen said his son had "started to move his arm and he's been playing Connect Four very badly"."And he's now started to say the odd word. The first words he said to his mum were 'I love you'." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I owe the driver a pint! I was hit by a Range Rover while riding an e-scooter and rushed to hospital where doctors found a BRAIN tumour... the crash saved my life
A man who was struck by a car while riding an e-scooter home from work has said he wants to 'buy the driver a pint' after hospital scans following the incident revealed he had a brain tumour. Connor McCann, 35, from Omagh, Northern Ireland, had finished a late shift in his job as an optometrist on December 8, 2022, when he uncharacteristically decided not to walk home. Instead, he hopped on what he now describes as the 'death trap' scooter and while navigating the 'cold and dark' roads was struck by a grey Range Rover which sent him crashing to the ground. In shock, Connor crawled to the pavement in a daze and recalls that as the moment he had his first of what are now fortnightly seizures. 'I looked back towards the car and realised that my muscles weren't behaving properly,' he told MailOnline. 'They were moving in the opposite direction. My muscles, my neck and head were pointing up and to the right and I bit my tongue. 'That's the last thing I remember before waking up in the back of an ambulance.' Adjusting his eyes as the lights beamed down on him and the sounds of sirens rung out, Connor could feel pain in his toes after his foot had been wedged under the deck of the scooter during the collision. Connor was going to have his foot wrapped in a bandage for a number of weeks - that much he knew. However it was the discovery of a 'pear-sized', low-grade glioma quietly growing in his head that he did not expect. 'They had to do a scan to make sure I had no internal bleeding or a concussion, which I definitely had,' he continued. 'So I was expecting them to just come back to me with that, but instead they've done a "good news, bad news" sort of thing. 'They said the good news was that there was no internal bleeding or haemorrhaging, but the bad news was that they had found a primary brain tumour. 'If it wasn't for being hit I wouldn't have known, so in a way the driver hitting me actually did me a bit of a favour.' To this day, Connor still doesn't know the identity of the driver who struck him but hopes they can one day meet up over a beer. He said the man even man sure his Garmin watch, which fell off during the collison, was returned to him without a scratch. Despite his positive outlook now, Connor was forced to undergo some gruelling rounds of surgery. In February 2023 he had the first - a craniotomy. He recalls dipping in and out of consciousness during, and saw surgeons remove 70 per cent of the tumour. However, they were forced to stop due to its proximity to the 'eloquent speech area' of his brain. If they hadn't, Connor would have been left permanently unable to communicate. In February 2023 Connor underwent a craniotomy which he dipped in and out of consciousness during, and saw surgeons remove 70 per cent of the tumour Though they were able to avoid this, medics were still forced to diagnose him with aphasia, a condition which restricts Connor's verbal and gesturing abilities and affected him for almost three months after the surgery where he was unable to speak. Despite this setback, Connor made a remarkable recovery and was soon back on his feet, returning to his optometry job six months later. 'My job involves a lot of patient communication and I had been working in the same practice for over a decade, so a lot of my patients know me and um were waiting for me to come back,' he said. 'So I returned slowly but surely and built it up. I got over a lot of mixed emotions, determination and a little bit of imposter syndrome, too. 'I was worried about a lot of things: could I communicate effectively? Was my brain quick enough? 'But ultimately I was successful until the the most recent scan that I had earlier this year.' While undergoing an MRI check-up in February, doctors noticed new areas of Connor's brain had been lighting up when under scan - they had discovered a new growth. This prompted the decision for Connor to undertake six weeks of radiotherapy, which he is currently four weeks through, before a course of chemotherapy which means he has to step back from work again. Ethan Loughrey, 35, has been friends with the 'kind and sensitive' Connor for more than two decades and told MailOnline when he realised he could play a 'little part' in helping him. 'I had been chatting regularly to him after the growth and he left me a voice note one day just talking through how he was feeling,' Ethan said. 'One of the things he happened to mention that was worrying him was the finance side of things, but he said it very much as a passing comment in a six or seven minute voice note. 'And I remember just thinking, okay, there's something we might be able to do.' Alongside two of his friends, Damien and Daniel, Ethan launched a GoFundMe to help cover Connor's medical expenses and lost income which has raised thousands from friends, family and strangers moved by his story. 'Me and the guys are the smallest part of this, so we're just really happy that it's going well,' Ethan added. 'Connor is unbelievably and incredibly positive about it all. We just want to help him get a few pounds to help him not have to worry as much about his treatment.'
