WECC Chooses The Brain Tumour Charity
Earlier this year Worthing Excelsior CC chose The Brain Tumour Charity as their charity of the year, to focus the charitable efforts of club members, and lend support to one of their own.
Rob, a life-long member of the club, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023. Rob has since undergone a number of pioneering treatments, supported by trial research from The Brain Tumour Charity.
It has been a difficult journey for Rob and his family, but the pioneering treatment received means that 2 years on, Rob shows continuing strength and determination, and will occasionally join us for a short spin to the coffee stop on the Sunday rides.
If you are able to contribute to the pioneering work of The Brain Tumour Charity, then please use our JustGiving link.
And if you shop online, then simply connect with Easyfundraising to earn charitable contributions from online retailers to The Brain Tumour Charity, at absolutely no cost to yourself. Many bike related sites are members, along with all your usual high street retailers.
Rob, a life-long member of the club, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023. Rob has since undergone a number of pioneering treatments, supported by trial research from The Brain Tumour Charity.
It has been a difficult journey for Rob and his family, but the pioneering treatment received means that 2 years on, Rob shows continuing strength and determination, and will occasionally join us for a short spin to the coffee stop on the Sunday rides.
If you are able to contribute to the pioneering work of The Brain Tumour Charity, then please use our JustGiving link.
And if you shop online, then simply connect with Easyfundraising to earn charitable contributions from online retailers to The Brain Tumour Charity, at absolutely no cost to yourself. Many bike related sites are members, along with all your usual high street retailers.
Rob's story:
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I have been a member of the cycling club for around 40 years and during that time I have been involved in many aspects of club life. As well as racing, I have held a number of roles on the committee including Social Secretary, Open Event Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman and President.
Over the years I have taken part in a wide range of racing, mainly time trials and road races, competing at different levels from schoolboy events through to veterans’ races. Some of my highlights include racing in the local GHS National Championships and the Junior National 25-mile Time Trial Championships in York, as well as competing in a number of Junior Divisional Road Race Championships. Cycling has also brought many great social memories. I have always enjoyed the Sunday club runs and many of the club’s social events, including the annual club dinner, skittles evenings, fish and chip suppers, trips to the Isle of Wight and weekend trips to Salisbury and Eastbourne. |
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My Diagnosis
In August 2023 I began experiencing frequent headaches. I visited my GP and was initially prescribed painkillers as it was thought they could be stress-related headaches. When these did not help, I returned to the GP and was given stronger medication, but the headaches still continued. I then went for a routine eye test where the optician offered a CT scan as part of the examination. The scan showed something unusual behind my left eye. The optician immediately contacted Chichester Hospital and advised me to go there straight away. At the hospital I underwent several tests, including CT and MRI scans. The following day I was told that I had a brain tumour which could be cancerous. I was referred to Brighton Hospital where surgery would be needed. Three weeks later, at the beginning of October 2023, I underwent brain surgery in Brighton to remove the tumour. Due to its location, the surgeons were only able to remove around 80% of it. The operation lasted nine and a half hours. On 23 October 2023 I met with my consultant to discuss the results of the tumour tests. I was told that the tumour was cancerous and diagnosed as a Grade 4 Glioblastoma, with a life expectancy of around 12 to 18 months. |
Treatment and Ongoing Care
Following the diagnosis I began six weeks of radiotherapy, followed by six months of chemotherapy, which finished in July 2024. Thankfully I managed to get through both treatments without any major side effects.
The treatments appeared to stop the tumour from growing and I moved to regular monitoring, with MRI scans every three months.
In July 2025 a scan showed an enhancing nodule in the left frontal lobe and another separate nodule along the ependymal surface of the left lateral ventricle. A further MRI two months later showed no significant change, but my doctors discussed the possibility of joining a clinical trial at The Royal Marsden Hospital called the DETERMINE trial.
In November 2025 I attended The Royal Marsden where I underwent a series of tests including CT scans, MRI scans, eye tests, blood tests and ECGs. The results confirmed that I was suitable to take part in the clinical trial.
I began the trial treatment in December 2025. The medication initially caused several side effects including vision issues, stomach problems and severe tiredness, which meant my next treatment cycle had to be delayed while these were managed.
Further MRI scans since starting the trial have shown no significant change, and we are continuing to monitor things closely.
In January I started the second cycle of treatment after a short delay. This cycle went better, although I developed some new side effects including spots on my chest and lesions on my legs. I was given additional medication for three weeks to help manage these symptoms.
On 27 February I started my third treatment cycle, and I am continuing to take things one step at a time.
Following the diagnosis I began six weeks of radiotherapy, followed by six months of chemotherapy, which finished in July 2024. Thankfully I managed to get through both treatments without any major side effects.
The treatments appeared to stop the tumour from growing and I moved to regular monitoring, with MRI scans every three months.
In July 2025 a scan showed an enhancing nodule in the left frontal lobe and another separate nodule along the ependymal surface of the left lateral ventricle. A further MRI two months later showed no significant change, but my doctors discussed the possibility of joining a clinical trial at The Royal Marsden Hospital called the DETERMINE trial.
In November 2025 I attended The Royal Marsden where I underwent a series of tests including CT scans, MRI scans, eye tests, blood tests and ECGs. The results confirmed that I was suitable to take part in the clinical trial.
I began the trial treatment in December 2025. The medication initially caused several side effects including vision issues, stomach problems and severe tiredness, which meant my next treatment cycle had to be delayed while these were managed.
Further MRI scans since starting the trial have shown no significant change, and we are continuing to monitor things closely.
In January I started the second cycle of treatment after a short delay. This cycle went better, although I developed some new side effects including spots on my chest and lesions on my legs. I was given additional medication for three weeks to help manage these symptoms.
On 27 February I started my third treatment cycle, and I am continuing to take things one step at a time.
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Supporting Brain Tumour Research
My two daughters are running the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity. The work that charities like this do is incredibly important. The research they fund helps develop new treatments and clinical trials like the one I am currently taking part in, offering hope to people facing diagnoses like mine. |
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From Sophie:
When I was growing up, dad was always on his bike. Every Sunday morning, he would head out on club rides, and in the summer, he regularly took part in Thursday evening 10-mile time trials. Cycling has always been a huge part of his life.
In October 2023, everything changed. After experiencing months of headaches and fatigue, my dad went for an eye test where the optician spotted a mass behind his eye. He was quickly referred to hospital, where scans confirmed he had a brain tumour. This was an incredibly frightening and uncertain time for our whole family, especially as he had always been fit, healthy and active.
Soon after the diagnosis, he was transferred to Brighton for brain surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. We had been warned that personality changes can sometimes occur after this kind of surgery, but thankfully when we visited him after the operation, he was completely himself and already eager to leave hospital.
Over the following six months he underwent intensive treatment, including six weeks of radiotherapy followed by several rounds of chemotherapy. Thankfully, he responded well to treatment and experienced relatively few side effects. This meant we were able to spend valuable time together as a family and continue making special memories.
Gradually, he was even able to get back on his bike. He started by cycling on the turbo trainer in the garage before eventually returning to the road. Seeing him ride again was incredibly special for us and it even inspired me to start cycling so that I could ride alongside him. Last summer we were able to enjoy several rides together and even joined sections of Worthing Excelsior's club runs.
My dad has now started taking part in a clinical trial - an opportunity that would not exist without the vital research funded by charities like The Brain Tumour Charity.
To help support this research and the work the charity does for families affected by brain tumours, my sister and I are running the London Landmarks Half Marathon on 12 April. By raising money, we hope to help fund further research, improve treatments and provide support for others facing a similar diagnosis. You can support me with a donation.
Despite being given an initial prognosis of 12–18 months, my dad is now more than two years on from his diagnosis. He continues to show incredible strength and determination every day with the help of the treatments and support now available.
By supporting our fundraising, you are helping to make a real difference for people living with brain tumours and their families.
When I was growing up, dad was always on his bike. Every Sunday morning, he would head out on club rides, and in the summer, he regularly took part in Thursday evening 10-mile time trials. Cycling has always been a huge part of his life.
In October 2023, everything changed. After experiencing months of headaches and fatigue, my dad went for an eye test where the optician spotted a mass behind his eye. He was quickly referred to hospital, where scans confirmed he had a brain tumour. This was an incredibly frightening and uncertain time for our whole family, especially as he had always been fit, healthy and active.
Soon after the diagnosis, he was transferred to Brighton for brain surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. We had been warned that personality changes can sometimes occur after this kind of surgery, but thankfully when we visited him after the operation, he was completely himself and already eager to leave hospital.
Over the following six months he underwent intensive treatment, including six weeks of radiotherapy followed by several rounds of chemotherapy. Thankfully, he responded well to treatment and experienced relatively few side effects. This meant we were able to spend valuable time together as a family and continue making special memories.
Gradually, he was even able to get back on his bike. He started by cycling on the turbo trainer in the garage before eventually returning to the road. Seeing him ride again was incredibly special for us and it even inspired me to start cycling so that I could ride alongside him. Last summer we were able to enjoy several rides together and even joined sections of Worthing Excelsior's club runs.
My dad has now started taking part in a clinical trial - an opportunity that would not exist without the vital research funded by charities like The Brain Tumour Charity.
To help support this research and the work the charity does for families affected by brain tumours, my sister and I are running the London Landmarks Half Marathon on 12 April. By raising money, we hope to help fund further research, improve treatments and provide support for others facing a similar diagnosis. You can support me with a donation.
Despite being given an initial prognosis of 12–18 months, my dad is now more than two years on from his diagnosis. He continues to show incredible strength and determination every day with the help of the treatments and support now available.
By supporting our fundraising, you are helping to make a real difference for people living with brain tumours and their families.
