'We count our blessings every day': Shrewsbury mum backs charity's festive campaign after son's shock Christmas eve brain tumour surgery
A Shropshire mum is backing Brain Tumour Research’s Christmas appeal, as she marks two years since her teenage son underwent a 10-hour operation to remove a brain tumour.
Fifteen-year-old Alex Costa-Veiga from Shrewsbury is one of the faces of the appeal, which is calling on the public to help fund game-changing research this Christmas by making a donation.
More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with a brain tumour or the long-term impact of their diagnosis, yet research into the disease has been chronically underfunded.
This Christmas holds special meaning for Alex and his family after his shock diagnosis and an emergency procedure on Christmas Eve.
Now, as Alex marks his second Christmas since his diagnosis, the family are reflecting on how far they have come and the urgent need for greater research.
Melanie, Alex’s mum, said: “People think once the treatment ends it’s over, but it’s not. There’s still a long road ahead. We met some children on the hospital ward who are no longer here. We count our blessings every day.
“We still need more answers and more research. There are only three options, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and they are far too harsh for children. Other countries are developing kinder treatments, and the UK must catch up.
“That’s why I’m supporting Brain Tumour Research’s Christmas appeal. This time of year feels extra special because we have Alex with us, and we want to do everything we can to help fund the research that could one day save more children’s lives.”
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer.
In December 2023, Alex, then 14, went from experiencing unexplained sickness to being diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, a rare and aggressive brain tumour.
