- A 34-year-old man was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after ignoring symptoms for months
- His wife insisted on medical help, leading to a diagnosis of aggressive glioblastoma brain cancer
- Surgeons removed 95% of the tumour but told him the cancer was terminal with limited life expectancy
A 34-year-old man diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour believes he may not be alive today if his wife had not trusted her instincts and insisted he seek medical help despite his attempts to ignore the symptoms. According to the BBC, Josh Smith, from Wrexham, began experiencing persistent headaches and episodes of brain fog in January. Like many others, he dismissed the symptoms as exhaustion, avoided seeing a doctor and relied on painkillers, believing he simply needed more rest.
"I've always avoided it. There's that societal expectation of 'man up' and get on with it. I was just popping paracetamol and getting early nights," he said.
His wife, Kelly, however, was convinced something was seriously wrong. On February 9, she persuaded him to visit a GP for the first time in about 12 years. The appointment did not reveal any obvious problems, and Josh was prescribed painkillers before being referred to an optician, where no issues were detected either.
Just a few days later, Josh's condition worsened dramatically. He developed excruciating pain behind his eyes, prompting Kelly to insist that he go to A&E at Wrexham Maelor Hospital instead of heading to work.
"It felt like someone was pushing the back of my eyeballs outwards. I have never felt anything like that unbelievable pain," he said.
Although he was initially discharged with morphine, the pain continued. A CT scan performed the following day revealed a 4.5-centimetre brain tumour. Josh said the diagnosis came as a complete shock. At first, he struggled to believe the scan belonged to him and wondered if there had been some mistake.
He was referred to the Walton Centre in Liverpool, where doctors diagnosed him with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. The disease typically carries a life expectancy of 12 to 18 months, according to Brain Tumour Research.
Surgeons successfully removed about 95% of the tumour, but Josh was later told the cancer was terminal.
Despite the devastating diagnosis, one of Josh's first memories after waking from surgery was asking his wife to bring him KFC. He joked that they had driven past the restaurant on the way to the hospital, and he became so determined to have it that staff had to urgently order it through Uber Eats. He even admitted finishing the entire meal without sharing it with his brother.
Josh has since completed radiotherapy and continues to undergo chemotherapy. While there is no cure, he hopes treatment will keep the tumour stable for as long as possible.
Looking back, he realises how dangerous it was to ignore the warning signs. He had continued operating heavy machinery at work and driving every day, unaware that he could have suffered a seizure at any moment.
Before the diagnosis, Josh and Kelly had been planning campervan adventures and hoping to start a family. Those plans have now been put on hold, but the couple have chosen to focus on making the most of every day together.
In recent months, Josh has climbed Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), completed a parkrun, gone paddleboarding, spent a day as a zookeeper at Chester Zoo, planted flowers in his garden and enjoyed long walks with the couple's two dogs, Olive and Teddy. He says his daily goal is to create memories, keep busy and appreciate the ordinary moments, including making Kelly a cup of coffee every morning.
Josh also hopes sharing his story will encourage others not to ignore persistent symptoms and will draw attention to the urgent need for more research into brain tumours.
"I didn't know anything about brain tumours before this. It's amazing how many people it affects, and you just don't even hear about it. I see it everywhere now," he added.
According to Brain Tumour Research, around 3,200 people in the UK are diagnosed with glioblastoma every year. Survival rates remain poor, with only about one-third of patients living beyond a year after diagnosis and around 4% surviving for five years or more. Josh and Kelly are now backing a campaign urging the Welsh government to increase investment in brain tumour research and improve access to emerging treatments and clinical trials.
