A man who was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour as a toddler is celebrating his 30th birthday – a milestone his family feared he might never see.
Charlie Boutwood was diagnosed with a high-grade medulloblastoma, aged 20 months. He underwent an emergency eight-hour surgery which removed 75% of the tumour, followed by a year of gruelling chemotherapy and six-weeks of radiotherapy.
Thankfully, Charlie made a remarkable recovery and today, he is celebrating turning 30.
Whilst Charlie was going through his treatment, his parents witnessed many families losing their children because of brain tumours. They set up Charlie’s Challenge, a Member Charity of Brain Tumour Research, to help improve outcomes for children diagnosed with this devastating disease. Dad Nigel is also a founding Brain Tumour Research Trustee.
Charlie (pictured with Nigel) said: “I count myself as one of the few really lucky ones. So many children diagnosed with a brain tumour are much less fortunate, either living with life-long effects from surgery or treatment, or worse, not making it.
“I am proud to be an ambassador for the cause – so many brain tumour charities are set up in memory of a loved one so Charlie’s Challenge is quite unusual – and have played my part in fundraising. Charlie’s Challenge has raised more than £1 million to help fund research looking to find better outcomes for children with brain tumours and ultimately a cure. I am also proud to have joined with representatives of other brain tumour charities to campaign at Westminster for the government and larger cancer charities to invest more into this area of research.”
We wish Charlie a very happy birthday and thank him for sharing his story of hope to help raise awareness.
Please donate to support our vital work to find a cure for all types of brain tumour, including childhood brain tumours: www.braintumourresearch.org/appeals/childhood-cancer-awareness-month-donate
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