At 40 years old, Sam was the picture of health — a non-drinker, non-smoker, active and by all accounts, fit and well. But one Saturday night, everything changed.
After months of feeling a little off and visiting the doctor without clear answers, Sam experienced what he now knows was a seizure. He was sitting in the driver’s seat, waiting to pick up his wife, when it struck. Thankfully, an ex-nurse nearby recognised the signs and quickly got him to hospital.
The very next day, surgeons removed a tumour that was larger than a tennis ball — approximately 8cm in diameter, or around a quarter of the size of his brain. It was later diagnosed as a Grade 2 astrocytoma.
Since the surgery, Sam has had to relearn how to talk, but remarkably, all his cognitive functions have returned, and he hasn’t experienced another seizure. While he’s currently housebound due to seizure protocols, Sam is looking forward to October — when he’ll be able to drive again and regain even more independence.
We’re so thankful to Sam for bravely sharing his story to raise awareness of brain cancer. His strength and resilience inspire us all.
