Following the removal of the tumour, Alex was told the devastating news that she had brain cancer.
“My world fell apart. I was so scared. I just thought ‘How will I cope?’; ‘How will I be a good mum and a wife?’; ‘Why me?’ I witnessed my parents crumble and cry and my husband try his hardest to be strong”, said Alex.
“I never really understood what the word ‘Family’ stood for until that day. My parents and my husband were amazing the way they held me up physically and emotionally.”
Seven years on, Alex is still having regular health checks and MRI scans, but is living life with renewed vigour and grateful that there was research into her condition that made her treatments possible.
“I feel very lucky to be where I am now. I’m still here and living the best life I can – I love and value time with my family – my husband Leo, son Taylan and my mum Kay.
“The experience of cancer has undoubtedly changed me. There are some things I’ve had to accept I can no longer do, such as riding my horse. The cancer has stolen away my confidence in the saddle.
“The financial impact of cancer has also meant I had to use all my savings so I could live and pay rent, but I can look forward to the future with real hope, enjoy time with my family and open my heart and my life to new experiences I thought might never be possible.”
“I commend Cancer Research Wales for launching the Brain Tumour Research Initiative – the first of its kind in Wales. It will bring hope to people affected by cancer today and bring world-class research and better treatments closer to home.”
