A former Royal Marine living with a brain tumour has published a book detailing his experiences.
Rian Ilett, 33, was given less than 18 months to live in March 2019, when doctors discovered a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in his front right temporal lobe. Now nearly three years post-diagnosis, Rian has shared his unique journey in his book, Every Day Is A Battle: Fighting demons, Jihadis and terminal cancer.
Rian, who served 15 years in the armed forces, had a craniotomy to debulk the tumour, followed by six weeks of daily radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy. He finished treatment in December 2019 and his scans have remained stable.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Rian started putting pen to paper and embarked upon writing a memoir. One of the main themes of his book is overcoming adversity and he hopes that it will help others.
He said: “I saw too many people in the cancer treatment centre, who seemed to have given up on life. My main message is that even when the odds are stacked against you, a positive mindset goes a long way. I was medically discharged from the Marines in December 2021 but my fight is far from over. The book is my story of never giving up. Despite being told I should have been dead more than a year ago, I am still here to tell this tale.”
You can purchase a copy of Rian’s book using AmazonSmile here.