Brain Tumour Survivor to Tackle Etape Loch Ness Two Years on from Diagnosis

April 16, 2022

On the morning of 21^st January 2020, 57-year-old David Thomas was planning his next cycle sportive, and by the evening was waking up in hospital being told he had a brain tumour.

David, who lives in Preston, had been at his local gym recovering in the solarium after his regular spin class in preparation for that year’s Fred Whitton Challenge, a gruelling 113-mile cycle sportive around the Lake District. The next thing David knew, he was waking up in A&E at Royal Preston Hospital, being told that he had suffered a seizure in the solarium and had been found by a member of the gym staff.

That evening, David was sent for a CT scan before two consultants confirmed he had a grade 1 meningioma brain tumour, which was benign but would need surgery to remove.

“The consultants confirmed that the tumour had been putting pressure on my brain which caused the seizure. I don’t remember anything after first waking up in A&E until I woke up on the ward the morning after. It was very bizarre and confusing,” explains David.

“Ten days after my seizure I underwent a nine-hour operation where the team successfully removed all of the tumour.”

Following a week in hospital, David was discharged to recover at home. Unfortunately, four weeks later, he was admitted back into hospital with pneumonia where he spent another ten days, coming out three days before the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Lockdown gave David two months at home to relax and recover, before introducing short walks to help build his strength back up. By June 2020, David was back at work, walking three miles each way to the office and back, before being allowed back on the bike in September.

“In November 2020, a lump appeared on my jaw which I thought was an abscess, but my dentist referred me immediately to the hospital for further investigation. The result was that I needed an operation to remove a cyst from my jawbone which they thought may be cancer.

“I went into hospital for the operation in May 2021 and was supposed to be back home the same day but just after they put me under the anaesthetic my heart stopped. The medical team gave me chest compressions and, thankfully, I was okay.

“Nevertheless, I had to have many tests for heart problems which found nothing. Apparently, this kind of thing can happen during an operation as your heart and blood pressure drop due to the anaesthetic.”

Since then, David has been making a steady recovery and even completed the Three Peaks Challenge in June 2021 in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

“Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. With this in mind, myself and my work colleague, Dawn Carter, took on the Three Peaks Challenge, where we raised more than £4,200.”

Challenges like this and cycling in particular have been an important part of David’s recovery.

“Physically I’m getting stronger all the time, mentally I’m not 100% but cycling and setting targets is helping. I get quite emotional sometimes if I think what could have happened that evening.”

Over the past year, David has been building up mileage on the bike in preparation for the Etape Loch Ness.

“My advice to anyone recovering from illness is to take small steps and make sure you do some kind of exercise that you enjoy. Cycling has helped me not just physically but also mentally, and I can’t wait to get back out there taking part in events again.

“I’m using the Etape Loch Ness as part of my training for the Fred Whitton Challenge, which I hope to finally be able to do later this year. I was keen to do the Etape Loch Ness as it is closed roads and I’m sure the views will be epic on a bike. I’m hoping to complete the route within five hours but that will depend on how often I stop to take photos!

“After all we’ve been through over the past two years with Covid and our own personal challenges and journeys, I hope everyone taking part in the Etape Loch Ness has a great day!”