'Doctors dismissed my headaches - now I don't have long left to live'

'Doctors dismissed my headaches - now I don't have long left to live' Joshua Smith says he visited the GP several times after experiencing headaches and confusion and was even sent home from A&E A man who claims he was repeatedly dismissed by doctors for his headaches has now been diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. Joshua Smith, 34, says he visited the GP several times after experiencing headaches and confusion, but claims he was sent home and told there was nothing to worry about. However, his wife Kelly refused to ignore her instincts that something more worrying was going on, and kept pushing for him to be seen. In January, the machinist from Wrexham, north-east Wales, was diagnosed with a glioblastoma – an aggressive form of brain tumour that carries a prognosis of 12 to 18 months. There is no cure for this tumour type and treatments have not improved in more than two decades. Kelly said: "In January, Joshua started complaining of what seemed like brain fog. Then one night he developed an excruciating migraine and said it felt like his head was going to explode. The pain lasted for days. "I took him to the GP because I knew something wasn't right. Joshua never goes to the doctor. I remember saying there were red flags, but we were told there was nothing to worry about. "Days later, I took him to A&E in Wrexham because his symptoms were getting worse. We were sent home with morphine and told to come back if things deteriorated." Despite being discharged, Kelly remained deeply concerned about her husband's condition. In the early hours of the next morning, she insisted Joshua return to hospital rather than go to work as planned. This time, doctors carried out a CT scan, which revealed a 4.5cm mass on Joshua's brain. Kelly added: "Hearing those words was terrifying. You know something is wrong, but you never expect it to be that. "When they told us it wasn't cancer, we felt hopeful. Then the next day they came back and apologised. It was cancer after all. We were devastated. It felt like we'd been lifted up and then completely crushed." Joshua was referred to The Walton Centre in Liverpool, where surgeons confirmed that the mass was a glioblastoma, and they advised surgery. This operation comes with many risks, including paralysis, personality changes and even death, but the pair decided it was their only option. And, on February 24, surgeons successfully removed around 95 per cent of the tumour. Joshua underwent six weeks of radiotherapy alongside chemotherapy and will continue treatment in the months ahead. Kelly said: "When Josh woke up from surgery, the first thing he did was ring me and ask for a KFC Bargain Bucket. I told him he could have whatever he wanted. "Amazingly, he was walking and talking within 24 hours and was home within three days. It's incredible, but it almost makes it harder to process because everything looks normal when it's not. "Our dream was always to have children and start a family together, and before Joshua's diagnosis that was something we were actively trying for. We also love exploring the country in our self-converted campervan and had so many plans for future trips and adventures. “At the moment, those plans have had to be put on hold while we focus on Joshua's treatment, but we still make the most of every opportunity to create special memories together. Those moments mean even more to us now." Now, the pair are working with the charity Brain Tumour Research during Glioblastoma Awareness Week to campaign for increased Government investment into research on brain tumours. Every year, around 3,200 people in the UK are diagnosed with a glioblastoma, and just one-third survive beyond 12 months, according to the charity. Joshua and Kelly are supporting the charity’s manifesto for Wales, It’s Time to do Things Differently, which highlights that no brain cancer patients were recruited to clinical trials in Wales between 2019 and 2024. Kelly recently raised more than £2,000 by walking 200km in May to help support the charity’s work, taking place at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Nottingham. She said: "There are options and emerging treatments that give families hope, but they aren't always available here in the UK. That's incredibly frustrating. Joshua's story is still being written and we're holding on to every bit of positivity we can. "That's why supporting research is so important. We need more options, more treatments and ultimately a cure." Brain Tumour Research is calling for increased national investment in research, more clinical trials and improved access to innovative treatments for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. Dr Karen Noble, director of research policy and innovation at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Joshua’s story reflects the devastating reality faced by so many families across the UK. "We are calling on the Government to increase the national investment in research into brain tumours, including glioblastoma. "We need to also see an increase in the number of clinical trials, and access to them, in the UK, and we want to end inequalities in access to whole genome sequencing that could inform access to trials and emerging treatments.”