ANDY HAMILTON was convinced his wife of three years was cheating on him.
Gemma, 37, had just given birth to their son Henley – but the once doting dad had difficulty showing interest in their newborn child and his family.
Andy and Gemma Hampton on their Wedding Day July 2020 with baby Isabelle – the couple have been together for eight years and married for threeSWNS
SWNSNormally doting dad Andy fell asleep at his son Henley’s birth[/caption]
SWNSHe also experienced some bizarre personality changes, causing an uncharacteristic disinterest in his family[/caption]
SWNSAfter a rush to A&E, Andy was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour[/caption]
Andy, 54, even fell asleep at the birth of his fourth child.
He also became distant and apathetic, paranoid his wife of three years was cheating on him.
Gemma from Sturminster Newton, Dorset, said: “We got together almost eight years ago and have always been secure in our relationship.
“However, shortly after having Henley, I noticed huge changes in Andy’s personality.”
Though previously very involved in his family, Andy now seemed disinterested in helping Gemma care for their newborn son. His bizarre behaviour almost cost the couple’s relationship.
“I would ask Andy to change Henley’s nappy to which he would say he had a headache and I had to do it,” the mum recalled.
“At first I thought it was an excuse and that he was struggling adapting to life with two young children.
“It felt as though Andy wasn’t listening to me, and because I kept pointing out things that he was doing wrong, his paranoia caused him to believe things that weren’t true.
“He kept saying he knew it was all in his head but he couldn’t stop the thoughts.”
Land agent Andy fell asleep at the birth of his son, Henley, in May 2022.
And from March to May 2023 Gemma said he was “all over the place” and added: “The infrequent episodes of confusion and paranoia were now daily.”
The “final straw” came when he was making the bed and couldn’t figure out how to take the duvet out of the cover.
Andy decided to book a check up with his GP.
On the way to the appointment, the dad of four vomited and the doctor referred him urgently to A&E at Dorset County Hospital with a suspected infection.
Within 24 hours Andy’s cognition had deteriorated.
But he and his family were shocked to find out the real reason behind his strange behaviour.
After a scan, he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) brain tumour, a fast-growing and aggressive type of tumour that is the most common type of primary malignant brain tumour in adults.
According to Cancer Research UK, about 32 per cent of brain tumour diagnoses in England between 1995 and 2017 were glioblastomas.
Andy was able to have surgery to ‘debulk’ the tumour on May 31 this year at Southampton General Hospital, followed by six weeks of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Gemma said: “Instantly after the operation Andy’s mood changed, and his personality resembled the old Andy.
“We felt better knowing that there was something to blame for Andy’s behaviour and that it wasn’t our marriage breaking down.
“We knew what we were dealing with and could work on a plan of action on how to battle the cancer.”
Signs of a brain tumour
Your skull is made of bone, so there’s a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up, according to Cancer Research UK.
A brain tumour increases the pressure inside the skull, which might cause some of the following symptoms:
headaches that make you feel sick or wake you up at night, which might get steadily worse
about 80 per cent of people with a brain tumour suffer from seizures
feeling or being sick, especially when you move suddenly
drowsiness or loss of consciousness
problems with your eyes, such as blurred vision, floating shapes or losing the ability to see out of the corner of your eyes
personality or behavioural changes, confusion and difficulty thinking normally
Source: CRUK
While he undergoes a second cycle of chemotherapy, Andy has signed up to take part in a sponsored walk for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The Walk of Hope in Swanage is a fundraising event will take place on September 30 and raises funds to help find a cure for the disease.
Gemma, who began fundraising for the charity by selling home-grown vegetables when Andy was diagnosed, said: “Andy has really felt the fatigue that comes with every round of treatment.
“He has always been an active person and together we have been going out on family walks in preparation for the event at the end of September.
“This will be a real challenge for him.”
Mel Tiley, the community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Andy’s story is a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of brain tumours, which can affect anyone at any time.
“They kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.
“We’re determined to change this but it’s only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.”
IAndy underwent a debulking operation to his tumour and immediately seemed his old selfSWNS
SWNSHe’s now undergoing a second cycle of chemotherapy and has signed up to take part in a sponsored walk[/caption]