Kevin was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour (Picture: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
After first being prescribed nasal spray, a dad of two was shocked to discover that his blocked nose was actually caused by an incurable brain tumour.
Kevin Pemberton initially went to his GP because he was struggling with what felt like a bunged-up nose and blocked sinuses.
He was prescribed a nasal spray to clear his sinuses, but it didn’t work. After several trips to the doctors, he booked a private MRI scan through his work in April 2019.
The scan revealed an ‘abnormal lesion’ on his brain and two weeks later, Kevin was horrified to learn it was caused by a brain tumour.
The 41-year-old accountant, from Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, had a five-hour operation on his brain to remove the mass, but doctors said the tumour was an incurable grade three anaplastic astrocytoma.
They initially thought it was a low-grade tumour, but it turned out to be a cancerous brain tumour which can spread to other parts of the brain.
Kevin Pemberton with wife Michelle and their children (Picture: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
Kevin was devastated to become one of the 16,000 people diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.
He said: ‘I was flabbergasted and couldn’t process the fact that there was no cure for my illness.
‘My world fell apart and when I returned home I had a panic attack. I couldn’t understand why this was happening to me.
Pemberton Family fundraising (Picture: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
‘To hear the word “cancer” was a shock once again.
‘I read the word “incurable” and from then I struggled to sleep and eat.’
Kevin started a six-week course of radiotherapy in May 2019, followed up by 12 cycles of chemotherapy in June 2020.
Kevin had to under radiotherapy (Picture: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
Kevin’s scan revealed a brain tumour (Picture: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
He now has scans every six months to check if the mass has grown back.
In July 2020, Kevin went back to work seeking normality and distraction.
His family – including his wife Michelle, 41 and their two daughters Jasmine, 14 and Sofia, nine – have also worked hard to raise almost £10,000 for Brain Tumour Research.
Kevin said: ‘Working helped take my mind off my diagnosis and kept me active.
‘I wanted to be as proactive as I could which led all four of us to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research.
Kevin and his family are continuing to raise money for brain tumour research (Picture: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
‘We were very open as a family, speaking about the cancer, and taking on different activities as a family brought us closer and helped us deal with the disease.’
The family have hosted a charity night at Molineux Stadium, home of the Wolverhampton Wanderers, and have cycled 274 miles in one month.
They now aim to complete 10,000 steps a day in February to raise even more.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: ‘We’re grateful to Kevin for sharing his story.
‘In the UK, 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour.
‘We want to change this, but it’s only by working together that we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.
‘We admire the family’s determination to do everything they can to help others fighting this disease in the future.’
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He was first prescribed nasal spray before they found out what was really wrong with him.
