A FATHER is desperately appealing for help to have a brain operation not available on the NHS.

Tristan Woodward, 39, of Sompting, was diagnosed with a pineal cyst on his brain after suffering from severe headaches.

The cyst has now ruptured and he says he needs to travel to Prague to have an operation to have it removed.

He said: “After months of headaches and dizziness and lots of other weird and wonderful symptoms I got an MRI done.

“It confirmed that there was indeed a serious problem.

“They found a 13mm pineal gland cyst/tumour that had evidence of previous haemorrhage.

“I thought they would have it out in a jiffy, problem solved.

“It seems that pretty much every country in the world apart from the UK would operate, but they won’t here

“There just isn’t enough research.

“I had an MRI scan back in the beginning of 2018.

“It took about six months to get to the bottom of what was wrong.

“The problem is there isn’t enough research into this kind of neurosurgery in the UK. “

Breaking down in tears as he spoke about the impact on his family, kitchen fitter Tristan who is father to Finnian, 11, Izac, eight and ten-week-old Devon, said he was in constant pain and struggling to cope.

He said his illness was adding extra pressure on his partner Emma Bridle too.

He said: “My life is in ruins. I struggle on a daily basis with all sorts of debilitating symptoms including headaches, dizziness, neck pain, jaw pain, full/painful ears, tingling, light sensitivity just to name a few.

“I’m trying to stay positive and focused on beating this, but I have come to a brick wall.

“I need to go abroad to have what I hope is the life restoring surgery.

“Every day I wake up in pain.

“Some days I can’t even get out of bed and it also has this kind of cognitive effect too. I have this kind of brain fog.

“I am obviously scared about having the operation – it is brain surgery so no tiny matter.

“But it feels like the only chance I have.”

Tristan has launched a crowdfunding campaign to try to raise £10,000 towards his treatment.

To support him visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tristanwoodwardsaveaseagull