Brain cancer-stricken father, 40, dies just weeks after fulfilling last wish to marry his partner of 17 years

A widow has told of her condolences astatine her cancer-stricken hubby dying conscionable weeks after he fulfilled his past wish of getting married.

Paul Jeffries, from Birmingham, received a daze glioblastoma test successful 2017 aft suffering a bid of seizures. 

Told he apt had conscionable 18 months left, nan statement technologist projected to his partner of 17 years Kelly and began readying their wedding. 

Typical curen plans for nan 'aggressive' tumour — which strikes astir 3,000 Brits and 12,000 Americans each twelvemonth — sees patients person room earlier chemo and radiotherapy. This is still nan aforesaid measurement it was treated successful nan early 2000s. 

But aft enduring two craniotomies — room to region portion of nan bony from nan skull — radiotherapy and chemotherapy, he defied expectations, surviving for 4 years. 

When his wellness declined successful January 2021, nan mates decided to yet wed successful an friendly ceremonial surrounded by their children, contempt Covid restrictions. 

He died 3 months later successful April and ne'er made it to a London objective proceedings he was put guardant for. 

Speaking astir her husband's death, Mrs Jeffries, a erstwhile cleaner for Royal Mail, said: 'We'd antecedently spoken astir matrimony and aft he was diagnosed he projected to me.

'We planned it each retired and had everything booked but past Covid restrictions saw our arrangements cancelled.

'It was our wish to wed earlier he died and arsenic Paul became really poorly, we were capable to get joined pinch typical circumstances.'

The wedding, at Sutton Coldfield's Lea Marston Hotel, was 'truly nan champion nether nan circumstances', she added.  

'I was affectional passim but having Paul by my broadside was truthful typical and to beryllium joined was what we some wanted.'

After abruptly suffering a period of seizures, Mrs Jeffries declare nan mates were told successful early 2017 that he had a low-grade encephalon tumour. 

The tumours are graded 1 to 4 according to their behaviour, specified arsenic nan velocity astatine which they are growing.

Within 2 months, Mr Jeffries underwent room to region nan mass.

But a biopsy confirmed nan tumour was, successful fact, people 4 — the astir fierce and superior type. 

He had six weeks of radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy and for months his scans were stable. 

In April 2020, however, Mr Jeffries was forced to acquisition room again aft medics discovered a caller maturation successful a different portion of his brain. 

After his information deteriorated, Mrs Jefferies researched different options to effort and 'help prolong his life'. 

While he was put guardant for a proceedings successful London, he wasn't good capable to attend. Mrs Jeffries cared for him until his decease connected April 5, 2021.

She said: 'Paul quickly mislaid mobility connected nan near broadside of his assemblage which meant he dragged his foot.

'Before seeing a loved 1 acquisition a encephalon tumour, I ne'er understood what precisely it meant. I wish I still didn't.'

Diagnosed patients usually acquisition room to region arsenic overmuch of nan tumour arsenic possible.

This is followed by regular radiation and chemo narcotics for astir six weeks, aft which nan narcotics are scaled back.

Radiation tin beryllium past utilized to destruct further tumour cells and dainty those who are not good capable for surgery. But nan cancer tin double successful size successful conscionable 7 weeks. 

Average endurance clip for glioblastoma is betwixt 12 and 18 months, according to nan Brain Tumour Charity. Only 5 per cent of patients past 5 years, it says.

The illness killed nan Labour leader Dame Tessa Jowell successful 2018.

In March 2022, The Wanted vocalist Tom Parker also died pursuing an 18-month conflict pinch shape 4 glioblastoma.

In a bid to raise consciousness for nan charity, Brain Tumour Research, she has shared her communicative up of its yearly fundraiser connected March 29. 

'We were unsuspecting victims of encephalon crab and had to navigate our measurement done a terminal test wherever location is simply a immense deficiency of finance into research,' she said.