Skip to content

Cancer: Swansea teen's warning after headache was brain tumour

Family photo RhysFamily photo
Fifteen-year-old Rhys was diagnosed with an aggressive and fast-growing brain tumour following a headache and cold-like symptoms

A teenager has issued a warning after his mild headache turned out to be a brain tumour.

Rhys, 15, from Pontarddulais, Swansea, was sent home with antibiotics and nasal spray in December, but his symptoms soon got far worse.

Rhys said he quickly developed "pain in my neck and in my head. I was being sick, I couldn't keep my head up".

After several visits to the GP he was sent to Morriston Hospital and received his diagnosis in mid-January.

"He was sick on a daily basis... we left time for the antibiotics to work, but there was nothing," said his mum, Clare.

She said the family took Rhys back to the doctor's surgery three times before he was referred to hospital.

Family photo Rhys and parentsFamily photo
Clare says she worries what would have happened if she and Rhys' dad Steve hadn't been as persistent with getting him checked

"Then he more or less collapsed there walking up to the corridor," said Clare.

"It was worrying. I knew something wasn't right but you don't think of the worst-case scenario."

Two days after the diagnosis, Rhys had an operation in Cardiff on 17 January to remove the tumour, which was described as aggressive and fast-growing.

"It's that thought, if we hadn't kept persevering, we don't know what would have happened," Clare added.

"If we hadn't kept going to the GP, well, it's so lucky it hasn't gone to his spine but that is a potential."

Family photo RhysFamily photo
Rhys had the aggressive and fast-growing tumour removed on 17 January

Rhys will start proton beam therapy on his spine next week, a specialist form of radiotherapy that targets certain cancers very precisely.

"I think we were clinging on to the hope that it was all going to be fine," said Clare.

"But they had to test the tumour… and we had a phone call saying we needed to go to oncology and then it was said it was more serious that they had realised.

"You see it on the TV and things. It's surreal, you're just numb."

Rhys said he has been getting support from his family, friends and counselling sessions with Noah's Ark hospital in Cardiff.

"The counselling has really helped. The lady who's been doing it has been giving me ideas of what I can do to make me feel at home in London," he said.

"I'm looking forward to getting it over with."

Rhys is now urging anyone who notices any unusual symptoms to visit their GP: "Just go to the doctor. Get checked up."