As Richard West chatted to his partner, Tina, about holidays he realised something was badly wrong. For far from sharing happy memories he suddenly found he could not remember a single trip the couple had shared.
It was the latest in a series of changes that had left the then university lecturer concerned. His personality had changed and he found himself bad tempered and anti-social.
The 64-year-old noticed the changes when Covid restrictions lifted in 2021 and despite visiting his GP on several occasions he was told it was ‘lockdown depression’ and given medication for anxiety. But then, after a “psychological breakdown”, he was given a devastating diagnosis – he had a brain tumour.
Richard, a former University lecturer, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, said it was a difficult time because everything was changing fast. He said: “I’d been a lecturer at the University of Westminster in London for more than two decades, but different methods of teaching and assessment were being introduced. At the same time, I was developing a new course in Sports Management which was very demanding.
“When restrictions were lifted, people went back to work in 2021. However, although I loved my job, I returned with no enthusiasm. I was depressed, short-tempered, and most worryingly, forgetful and anti-social. Deep down, I knew something wasn’t right.”
He said he visited his GP on several occasions. “She was sympathetic but thought I was one of the scores of patients suffering from ‘lockdown depression’ and prescribed me medication to calm my anxiety.
“Things didn’t improve and just before the start of the new term, I suffered a psychological breakdown. I couldn’t face the pressures and mentally, I simply couldn’t function.
“I was granted sick leave, but at the same time I wanted to get back to work and felt sufficiently recovered to do so after a few weeks. However, things didn’t improve.
“That became obvious when my partner, Tina, and I were out one evening, talking about holidays and plans for the future. Suddenly I couldn’t recall a single trip we’d ever taken. It was a very scary moment.
“The next day, my GP booked me into a stroke clinic, and I had an MRI scan at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in High Wycombe. Results confirmed a 7cm tumour located in the left frontal lobe of my brain.
“I was numb with shock – but also felt a mixture of feelings, including relief that there was something that could explain the way I’d been acting and feeling. In many ways it was worse than the cancer diagnosis because didn’t know a thing about brain tumours and my thoughts turned morbid. All I could think was that’s it, how long have I got?”
Richard underwent surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in June 2022 to remove the tumour which was diagnosed as a meningioma. After an eight-hour operation, the follow up MRI scan looked good but surgeons told him they had been unable to remove everything as the growth was too close to vital centres, which could have affected speech and memory.
Richard, who had previously been successfully treated for prostate cancer in 2020, said he felt better almost immediately. He said: “The pain and stiffness in my muscles and joints went away. I could walk, run, go to the gym, read and communicate again. It was like having a new life.”
But then he suffered a fresh blow in January 2024 as he went to the hospital for a check up MRI. He said: “Whilst in the car I had an ‘episode’. The vision in my right eye became blurred and I couldn’t read or make sense of words.
“We made it to the MRI centre and explained what had happened, but it was recommended the scan should go ahead as planned. It wasn’t until two days later that I went to my GP, and further tests confirmed I’d had a stroke. I was lucky to be alive as it could’ve been fatal.
“When the MRI scans came back, the residual meningioma had grown a couple of millimetres, and a 30-day course of radiotherapy was recommended. That was tough to deal with, but counselling and practising mindfulness helped me through.”
Now Richard is hosting a music event to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research and Berkhamsted-based mental health charity, Hector’s House. He said: “Having survived prostate cancer, to be diagnosed with a brain tumour and to have had a stroke, I feel like I shouldn’t be alive – but here I am, feeling positive and getting fitter by the day. I want to raise awareness of brain tumours to bring it to the attention of more people so that we can drive investment towards research into the disease.
“A downside of a brain tumour is it changes you as a person. Friends, family and people you meet don’t always realise, because from the outside you can appear ‘normal’. But inside there are all kinds of anxieties. What will the next MRI scan will reveal? Is this sudden headache something to worry about? Did I just forget the car keys, or is my memory fading?
“For many, their journey will involve ongoing radiotherapy, more surgery, and always a nagging fear that the tumour will regrow. Of course, not everyone feels the same and their journey may be different.
“It is a cruel disease that shatters lives. That’s why I’m focused on promoting a gig to raise funds for causes that are vitally important to me. If we had more knowledge and understanding of the disease, there is a potential to stop it from changing lives so drastically.”
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Richard’s story is a reminder that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. We’re grateful to Richard for sharing his story and wish him all the best for his night of music.”
You can buy a ticket to Richard’s fundraiser here and make a donation to Brain Tumour Research.