A councillor from Newquay has spoken out after experiencing years of symptoms that were repeatedly dismissed, which years later was diagnosed as a brain tumour.

Kevin Towill, aged 46, the Cornwall councillor Porth and Tretherras, endured four years of sickness and stomach issues, which were attributed to mental health despite raising concerns with doctors. He was prescribed antidepressants, medication he said made him feel “the worst I’ve ever felt.”

In desperation, Mr Towill refused to leave the Royal Cornwall Hospital in January 2024 until he was diagnosed. It was then that a neurologist requested an MRI, which revealed a mass at the back of his head, near the base of his spine.

Mr Towill said: “I’d been suffering for years, constant sickness, stomach complaints, but no one joined the dots. Being given antidepressants was awful, it made everything worse. When the MRI finally showed a mass on my brain, it was this strange mix of relief and horror. Relief that after four years they had finally found what was wrong, and horror at what that meant.”

Mr Towill was transferred to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth soon after the discovery where he was told he required urgent brain surgery. The procedure carried significant risks, including mobility issues, facial paralysis, speech impairment, and even death.

Mr Towill said: “The doctors explained everything clearly, but nothing prepares you for it. I thought rehab might be a couple of days a week. I had no idea I’d be in hospital for 10 months.”

The councillor underwent a 12-hour operation, during which surgeons removed the ependymoma tumour, a type of low-grade tumour. Complications from surgery affected his speech, sight, and mobility.

Mr Towill was unable to walk or talk for six months. He also required a tracheostomy to aid swallowing and is now nil by mouth, receiving nutrition via a PEG feeding tube. He continued to serve his community from his hospital bed despite his challenges and was re- elected as a Cornwall councillor in May.

Mr Towill said: “My councillor laptop was a lifeline. Being able to keep working helped distract me from everything I was going through.”

His eyesight remains affected, and he is awaiting surgery to realign his eyes. He can no longer drive due to permanent double vision, but with the support of carers, who are fully trained and even insured to drive on his behalf, he remains as independent as possible. Mr Towill now has routine scans every six months which, so far, have shown no signs of recurrence.

He said: “This is my second Christmas since being diagnosed, and every Christmas feels different now, more meaningful.

“Time with loved ones feels like a gift. I’m also supporting the Brain Tumour Research Christmas Appeal because families like mine need hope: hope for better treatments and hope for a cure.”

Mr Towill has now welcomed a £2.8 million research funding announcement, which will enable scientists at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth, a hub for world-leading research, to focus on accelerating and testing new treatments for low-grade brain tumours. There are currently limited treatment options for these types of tumours beyond surgery and radiotherapy, both of which come with many side effects.

Mr Towill added: “I’m really pleased to hear about the renewed funding at Plymouth University because research like this is exactly what we need to accelerate progress towards clinical trials for low-grade brain tumours like mine. People often assume that ‘low grade’ means less serious, but it still comes with lifelong effects that can completely change how you live.

“The complications I’ve faced show just how urgently we need better treatments and earlier intervention. Knowing that vital research is being supported gives me real hope that future patients will have more options than I did, and that one day low-grade won’t mean a lifetime of challenges.”

Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Kevin’s experience reflects the devastating consequences of brain tumours and the urgent need for increased awareness and greater investment in research. His courage in sharing his story, while still undergoing a long and difficult recovery, is incredibly powerful. We are deeply grateful to Kevin for using his voice to help highlight the reality of living with a brain tumour and the need for more funding, more research and better outcomes for patients.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.