THE family of a young father living with the life-changing consequences of brain tumour treatment are fundraising to help find a cure for the disease.

Daniel Calver, 33, was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma two years ago. He is currently undergoing speech therapy after two gruelling operations impacted his ability to talk.

Determined to help others affected by the disease, Daniel, his wife Natalie and their children, six-year-old Sennen and Hayden, three, raised more than £1,000 for the charity Brain Tumour Research, by taking part in events such as the charity’s Wear A Hat Day campaign.

Daniel, who lives with his family in Partridge Green, north of Henfield, said: “My brain tumour diagnosis came completely out of the blue, after I suffered a seizure in March 2018. It’s been a tough two years, having gone through radiotherapy and surgery.

“I have regular scans and sadly, in May 2019, we found out that, following my operation, my tumour had grown into the cavity. The consultants warned that my tumour might have become highly aggressive, but fortunately it transpired that it was still low-grade.

“I had another debulking surgery. Both operations had a huge impact on my speech. I had to learn to talk again with speech therapy.”

Daniel is raising awareness with Brain Tumour Research for Brain Tumour Awareness Month, which runs throughout March. It culminates in Wear A Hat Day next Friday. Now in its 11th year, the event has raised more than £1.25 million to help fund the fight against the disease.

Daniel said: “I’m very grateful for my family, who have helped to raise more than £1,000 for Brain Tumour Research. Sennen absolutely adores organising fundraising activities and last year she inspired Jolesfield CE Primary School, where she is a pupil, to take part in Wear A Hat Day. Hayden is beginning to understand a little more about my illness and, as he’s grown up with me being poorly, he’s used to seeing me poorly.

“We’re determined not to let coronavirus dampen our fundraising spirits and if we are unable to raise funds in the community, we will take to social media to champion the cause and set up a fundraising page.

“The virus is a worry for my family, as treatment has suppressed my immunity and my white blood count is reduced. I feel for brain tumour patients as they face additional uncertainty at this time.

“I am hoping to return to work at Virgin Atlantic in September but the outbreak has caused me a great deal of anxiety about my job.”

Hugh Adams, charity spokesman at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are very grateful to Daniel for sharing his powerful story. We encourage people to donate to his family’s fundraising page.

“This is a particularly important time to get behind Brain Tumour Research, as coronavirus represents an unprecedented threat to the charity sector. Investment in scientific research has never been more important. As the world is gripped in a global health crisis, we are looking to scientists to find a cure.

“As a relatively small but influential charity Brain Tumour Research is facing a potential 50 per cent loss to its annual income with the cancellation and postponement of challenge events such as the London Marathon.”

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK singularly focused on finding a cure for brain tumours through campaigning for an increase in the national investment into research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a sustainable network of brain tumour research centres in the UK.

The £35 million a year funding would bring parity with other cancers such as breast and leukaemia after historically just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours. This increased commitment would enable the ground-breaking research needed to accelerate the translation from laboratory discoveries into clinical trials and fast-track new therapies for this devastating disease.

Brain Tumour Research is a powerful campaigning organisation and represents the voice of the brain tumour community across the UK.