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Swimming pool seizure leads to cancer diagnosis

Andy Griffiths Mr Baldwin and Mr GriffithsAndy Griffiths
Rob Baldwin (left) said he was "devastated" to find out the diagnosis for friend Andy Griffiths (right) but was focusing on his cycle challenge

Friends of a man whose shock seizure lead to the discovery of a brain tumour are taking part in a charity bike ride.

Andy Griffiths, 55, from Leamington Spa, was taken ill while swimming in February 2020.

A brain tumour was revealed by an emergency MRI scan.

Friends' 152-mile (256km) bike ride abroad is raising funds in Mr Griffiths' name for Brain Tumour Research.

Further seizures mean Mr Griffiths will be unable to take part in the Ronde Van Vlanderen in Belgium, also known as the Tour of Flanders, for fear of having an accident. Best friend Rob Baldwin will take part, with another friend, Mark Thompson, taking Mr Griffiths' place.

Mr Griffiths and Mr Baldwin had been going to Belgium together for the past 10 years, completing the "extremely tough" cycling challenge a few years ago.

Andy Griffiths Andy Griffiths and Sandra GriffithsAndy Griffiths
Sandra Griffiths noticed something was wrong with her husband and shouted for help at the swimming pool where he suffered a seizure

Recalling the moment of his first seizure, Mr Griffiths said: "When I was swimming, my head jerked from side to side and I really couldn't make out where I was going.

"I had made it to the end of the pool and within a minute I had lost consciousness."

He was rushed to hospital where an emergency scan showed a tumour growing on his brain.

Mr Griffiths underwent a craniotomy where most of the mass was removed. However, a biopsy revealed the tumour was a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which carries a prognosis of 12 to 18 months.

After the surgery and weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, Mr Griffiths suffered fifteen months of "dreaded" seizures.

"I dreaded them happening as I couldn't breathe and would always worry about losing consciousness or even worse, not waking up."

Mr Griffiths has now taken medical retirement from his career as a consultant at Accenture in Warwick.

Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said she was "grateful" for Mr Griffiths sharing his story and the bike challenge in his honour.

Money is being raised via a Just Giving page with a target of £2,740 which the charity said could fund a day of research at one of its Centres of Excellence.

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