Broadcaster Glenn Campbell shares his brain tumour story in BBC documentary

Brain Tumour Research

2 min read

BBC Scotland’s political editor Glenn Campbell chronicles his experience of living with brain cancer in a candid new documentary this week.

The journalist was diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma in summer 2023, after he began suffering from seizures. Following surgery in which the tumour was removed, he endured punishing rounds of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

In the intimate film, which airs on Wednesday (20^th November), Glenn documents his difficult year of gruelling treatment and endless uncertainty. “It’s a big shock to be told you have a life-limiting condition,” said Glenn. “My tumour is almost certainly what will kill me, although hopefully not for a long time yet.”

Motivated by his own shortened lifespan, and the stories of so many others just like his, Glenn has since spent a huge amount of time and energy raising awareness of brain tumours. The documentary follows on from the incredible work that he has already completed on behalf of the brain tumour community.

Following his diagnosis, Glenn started a fundraising community, Brain Power, to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, supporting us in our work to establish a Scottish Centre of Excellence in which dedicated scientists will progress promising new therapies into clinical trials. As well as taking part in Walk of Hope, in August Glenn organised and hosted an online art auction with the support of Bonhams Edinburgh, which raised more than £80,000.

To date, Glenn’s Brain Power fundraising community has generated more than £150,000, which has helped us to continue to work towards our goal of establishing our Centre at the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, which will allow world-leading brain cancer experts to work to find a cure for glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive type of brain tumour. “The more scientific brain power we can train on this problem,” said Glenn, “the more likely the experts are to make breakthroughs in treatment and their search for a cure.”

Watch Glenn’s story in My Brain Tumour and Me on BBC One Scotland this Wednesday at 7pm. Following broadcast, it will also be available to watch on iPlayer.