Jean Imray thought her husband Mark Gurrey’s short temper and irritability were down to him “just liking a good moan”, but after he started having auditory disturbances, a CT scan revealed a brain tumour.
“Mark mentioned hearing music in his head. It happened in short bursts, perhaps two or three times a week. He could never place the tune and sometimes it was a voice that lasted just a few seconds. He insisted it didn’t trouble him and even admitted he quite liked it,” said Jean.
The disturbances turned out to be mini seizures. Mark (pictured below with a medal for completing the Great North Run) underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which left him with debilitating side effects, including chronic fatigue.
Sadly, just a month after being told the treatment had shrunk the tumour and his personality was returning to something closer to his old self, his symptoms started again. In February 2024, Mark died from a glioblastoma, a year after his diagnosis.
In July, Abridge Golf Club in Essex, where Mark regularly played, raised more than £2,000 for the Charity. The Club Captain, Kirk Williams, nominated Brain Tumour Research as his charity in honour of Mark.
Jean said: “Greater understanding and awareness of this disease, even of its subtlest warning signs, is vital. With more investment in research, we can find kinder treatments that extend lives and give families hope.”
If you have been touched by Mark’s story, you can make a donation here, giving your comment as Mark Gurrey.
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