Teen taking GCSEs after brain tumour treatment

A 16-year-old is back in the classroom and taking his GCSEs after missing months of school while being treated for brain cancer.

Alex, from Shrewsbury, had to have brain surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and months of rehabilitation.

He was forced to repeat Year 10 as a result, but has returned to sit GCSEs in maths, English language, biology, geography and religious studies.

His mother, Melanie, said: "Alex has worked so hard and we are incredibly proud of all he has achieved."

Alex was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour in 2023 when he was 14 years old.

He had been experiencing unexplained morning sickness for more than a year, but he was initially thought to be suffering from stomach problems or anxiety.

His cancer was eventually spotted when he started complaining of double vision and a tumour was spotted on a CT scan.

His treatment left him with speech difficulties, left-side weakness and severe fatigue.

For a while he also had to use a wheelchair, but can now walk short distances with a walker and has had corrective eye surgery to improve his vision.

When he returned to school he needed a reduced timetable because of exhaustion and the ongoing effects of his treatment, so he chose to repeat a year and reduce the number of GCSE subjects he would study.

After finishing his GCSEs, Alex hopes to study biology, geography and computer studies at A-level and said: "I would like to be a marine biologist or work with animals."

His mother said: "It's been challenging balancing school work with his continued rehabilitation but he has made fantastic progress.

"It's been a difficult journey with a few bumps in the road, but Alex has stayed positive and determined to achieve, better days will come."

The charity Brain Tumour Research, which has supported Alex, said it was campaigning for "more research, more funding and better treatments".

Community development manager Letty Greenfield said: "Alex's story is a stark reminder that brain tumours are not rare."

The charity said brain tumours killed more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, "yet since records began in 2002, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours".

Alex's family has donated his tumour tissue to help scientists and taken part in fundraising events to support the charity.

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