Huw McCandless, a 39-year-old GP from Disley, Cheshire, has undergone his third brain surgery while awake. The procedure was filmed by BBC Breakfast to raise awareness of brain tumours and what Mr McCandless believes is a funding disparity compared to other cancers.
Mr McCandless was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2019 after experiencing a seizure. Seven years later, the cancer has progressed to stage four. Dr Joseph Sebastian, a consultant neuroanaesthetist, stated that having Mr McCandless awake during surgery, naming objects and moving, was the safest way to remove the tumour without damaging critical brain areas.
Professor Pietro D'Urso removed a sample during the surgery, which is to be sent to Germany for personalised immunotherapy treatment, a treatment reportedly not available on the NHS. According to the Brain Tumour Research charity, brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and young adults in the UK, yet only about 1% of cancer research funding is allocated to them.
Clinicians and scientists in the field are expected to send an open letter to the government, outlining concerns that investment has not kept pace with the challenge. Mr McCandless hopes to contribute to building a case for increased funding in the UK. His family has also launched a crowdfunding appeal for treatment in Germany and to support his three-year-old son, Jacob.