BBC Scotland’s political editor Glenn Campbell receives incurable brain cancer diagnosis after a tumour was discovered following a bike crash

BBC Scotland’s political editor Glenn Campbell receives incurable brain cancer diagnosis after a tumour was discovered following a bike crash By Hannah Mcdonald Published: 11:30 EST, 14 January 2024 | Updated: 12:20 EST, 14 January 2024 e-mail View comments BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell has revealed that he was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer after a tumour was discovered following a bike crash. Glenn, 48, said the rare tumour is ‘almost certainly what will kill me’ but revealed it was a type which tends to ‘respond to treatment better than many other types’. The journalist spent several days in hospital in Edinburgh in June last year after coming off his bike in an accident which saw him break 10 ribs.

Six weeks later, while recovering at home, Glenn found he couldn’t walk or talk and after being taken to hospital, an MRI scan revealed a tumour on the right hand side of his brain . Speaking in detail about his diagnosis since revealing he was to have surgery last August, Glenn said: ‘I do have an incurable brain cancer. It is almost certainly what will kill me, but I am optimistic that need not happen for a long time yet.

Glenn underwent successful surgery at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, with Campbell saying neurosurgeon Paul Brennan and his team managed to remove ‘almost all’ of the tumour without damaging healthy brain tissue ‘I have a rare tumour called an oligodendroglioma, which tends to respond better to treatment than many other types. ‘ He underwent successful surgery at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, with Campbell saying neurosurgeon Paul Brennan and his team managed to remove ‘almost all’ of the tumour without damaging healthy brain tissue. When the cancer type was confirmed after ‘a few weeks’ wait, he said: ‘I was lucky.

About as lucky as someone in my position can be. ‘ In an article for the BBC, Glenn, who revealed he was diagnosed with brain cancer in August last year, said the hardest thing had been telling his children Cameron, 20, and Katie, 17, what was happening to him. ‘Getting through that without breaking down was a relief,’ he admitted.

‘I was surprised to discover that I am not afraid of dying. It turns out my biggest fear is FOMO – the fear of missing out. ‘Missing out on growing old with my wife.

Missing out on seeing my children complete their journeys into adulthood. Missing out on their graduations, weddings and the arrival of any children they might have. ‘ Weeks after the bike crash, Glenn woke clutching his arm, suffering from a ‘strong burning sensation’ and ‘could not walk or talk coherently’.

In an article for the BBC, Glenn, who revealed he was diagnosed with brain cancer in August last year, said the hardest thing had been telling his children Cameron, 20, and Katie, 17, what was happening to him He recalled how he involuntarily bit his tongue and started bleeding, and how his wife Claire thought he was having a stroke. After the seizure he was diagnosed with incurable cancer. Since then he has had 33 ‘blasts’ of radiotherapy treatment, along with chemotherapy, which he started before Christmas.

Campbell says he has ‘remained healthy and active’ throughout, having been able to ‘keep working, keep walking my dog and climb a few mountains’. However he said radiotherapy has been very tiring while chemotherapy leaves him nauseous and fatigued. But he added: ‘If this phase of my treatment is successful it should be possible to keep my tumour in check for some years to come.

He said he wanted to speak about his cancer diagnosis and treatment ‘in the hope that it might offer encouragement to others’. The journalist also said he has started a ‘fundraising community called Brain Power to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research’. Campbell said the charity is working to establish its fifth UK research centre in Scotland, ‘to scale up the work scientists are already doing at Edinburgh and Glasgow universities and help them progress promising new therapies into clinical trials’.

What are oligodendrogliomas? Oligodendrogliomas are a type of brain tumour that belongs to a group of tumours called gliomas. The tumours make up between two and five per cent of all brain tumours, according to The Brain Tumour Charity. They develop from the cells that make up the fatty covering of nerve cells and are most common in people aged 40 to 60.

Symptoms can include seizures, headaches, vertigo, nausea, vision problems or muscle weakness. Brain Tumour Research, a UK-based charity, says radiation is one of the most well-known risk factors for brain tumours. And it adds on its website: ‘No specific products or chemicals have been identified as being a direct cause of brain tumours.

‘ Cancer Research UK figures show there are around 11,500 brain tumours diagnosed across the home nations each year. Edinburgh BBC Cancer Woke Culture Share or comment on this article: BBC Scotland’s political editor Glenn Campbell receives incurable brain cancer diagnosis after a tumour was discovered following a bike crash e-mail Add comment.