Man starts getting headaches - then his world falls apart

Man starts getting headaches - then his world falls apart Mitch put his headaches down to long hours at work - the reality was far more serious A man's headaches were dismissed as 'work stress' - but turned out to be something much more serious. Mitch Jenderko, 31, started experiencing headaches in early 2024, which he attributed to long working hours and excessive time spent staring at a computer screen. However, in mid-July, he suffered a seizure while at work, resulting in a hospital admission - where brain scans uncovered a tumour initially believed to be low-grade and benign. Doctors began to harbour greater concerns after noticing "major changes in the tumour's behaviour" in a subsequent scan, and Mitch was rushed into emergency surgery in September 2024. Six weeks later, in October 2024, a biopsy of the tissue confirmed it was an aggressive, grade four astrocytoma, and he was given a life expectancy of just 18 months to two years. He and now-wife Gemma Jenderko, 32, tied the knot six months after the operation, determined to cherish every moment together. The couple are now expecting their first child. Mitch, a former recruitment consultant from Telford, Shropshire, said: "I did have headaches but nothing I would have put down to more than everyday work stress, long hours and a fast-paced job. But then I had a seizure at work, and after that they found the brain tumour. "After having the surgery at Royal Stoke University Hospital there was an agonising wait for the results of the biopsy - and that's when it came back that I had a very aggressive kind of cancer. Even the team were shocked when it turned out to be stage four. "Learning the prognosis is 18 to 24 months when you've just turned 30 is a very bitter pill to swallow." Gemma, a senior talent partner, said: "I have PTSD from the appointment where we were told Mitch had stage four cancer. "Your world just falls apart, it didn't feel real. It was devastating. Now we're just taking things three months at a time for each scan, but the baby is giving us something to keep positive for." Speaking about the devastating news that the condition was incurable, Gemma said: "It hit us like a ton of bricks. From this point on we had to not only process this ourselves but also work out how to break the devastating news to family and friends." The following month, Mitch proposed to Gemma and embarked on eight months of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Mitch even underwent chemotherapy on the morning of their wedding day in May 2025. Mitch said: "Treatment was intense, not just physically but mentally. I wasn't sleeping well and every day was draining. It was really hard." His subsequent scans have come back clear, yet due to its incurable nature, the cancer is expected to return. Gemma said: "The prognosis remains the same, incurable, regardless of stable scans." Mitch completed the Brighton Marathon in April in aid of Brain Tumour Charity, raising over £4,700. Their baby is due in January. Mitch said: "I'm very positive and keep a great outlook. My last scan came back clear, and then finding out Gem is pregnant, it was a double dose of good news for us." Shannon Winslade, head of services at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: "We're really grateful to everyone who shares their - often heartbreaking - story to raise awareness. We know that every family deals with a diagnosis and its aftermath in their own unique way. That's why The Brain Tumour Charity offers support to anyone who needs it. It's so important for them to know that they are not alone. "You can find out more about our specialist teams by calling our Support and Information Line on 0808 800 0004 or via our website." NHS guidance on brain tumour symptoms According to the NHS, over 12,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour in the UK each year. About half of these are cancerous. The national health service says many others are diagnosed with a secondary brain tumour. The NHS website says that the symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on the part of the brain affected. The NHS says that sometimes people can have no symptoms to begin with, or symptoms that develop very slowly over time. Common symptoms include: - vision or speech problems - headaches - mental or behavioural changes, including memory problems or changes in personality - progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body - persistently feeling sick, being sick and drowsiness - seizures The NHS website advises: "See a GP if you have these types of symptoms, particularly if you have a headache that feels different from the type of headache you usually get, or if headaches are getting worse. "You may not have a brain tumour, but these types of symptoms should be checked. "If the GP cannot identify a more likely cause of your symptoms, they may refer you to a doctor who specialises in the brain and nervous system (neurologist) for further assessment and tests, such as a brain scan."