A BBC journalist has opened up in regards to the realities of residing with a mind tumour.
In a brand new documentary airing on Wednesday, Glenn Campbell shares his journey over the previous 12 months, which incorporates rounds of gruelling remedy, elevating cash for charitable causes, and even undergoing brain surgery.
The movie, titled My Mind Tumour and Me, airs on BBC One Scotland on Wednesday at 7pm and will likely be out there to stream on BBC iPlayer afterwards.
However what can we learn about Campbell and his situation?
The 48-year-old has labored for BBC Scotland since 2001, when he joined the broadcaster’s radio station.
Through the years, he moved into tv, often protecting political information (together with quite a few elections and Scottish independence debates), earlier than finally being appointed BBC Scotland’s political editor in 2021.
When and the way was his mind tumour discovered?
The invention of Campbell’s mind tumour got here after he fell off a motorbike in 2023. Left with 10 damaged ribs and a minimize and bruised face, the journalist was handled in hospital however, shortly after leaving, suffered a seizure.
Upon returning to hospital, he was recognized with an oligodendroglioma mind tumour by medical doctors. Based on Brain Tumour Research, the identify refers to a “uncommon, slow-growing” tumour which is a type of glial cell.
One of these mind tumour types when regular stem cells turn into glial cells (cells that maintain nerve cells in place) and a tumour grows.
Is his mind tumour terminal?
In an article for the BBC, Campbell says: “After 15 months, I’m nonetheless going robust as a result of it seems I’ve a uncommon type of the illness, an oligodendroglioma, that tends to reply higher to remedy.
“The good mind surgeon Paul Brennan saved my life by chopping out most of my tumour and, with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, it appears to be holding my most cancers in verify for now.
“There have been a few false alarms however the latest verify suggests my tumour is secure. I don’t know how lengthy that may final,” he mentioned.
Oligodendroglioma tumours might be deadly, nonetheless, they often have larger survival charges than different types of mind most cancers.
What’s Campbell doing now?
As his documentary exhibits, Campbell hasn’t let his mind tumour cease him from residing his life. “The specialists are clear – they don’t need me to cease doing issues,” he mentioned. “They wish to allow me to dwell as usually as potential.”
In addition to spending time together with his household and mates, Campbell’s restoration has allowed him to make a “gradual return” to work for the BBC.
Though he unsuccessfully tried to climb a mountain in Scotland, struggling a seizure 10 minutes into the hike that referred to as for remedy by emergency providers, Campbell has nonetheless saved busy.
He has arrange a fundraising neighborhood, Mind Energy, to assist set up a brain tumour research centre in Scotland. “I feel well-resourced science can do lots higher. If not for me, for individuals who come after,” he mentioned.