A WOMAN from Beaworthy, who sadly lost her husband to a brain tumour, has been campaigning to raise awareness of the disease.

Gwyneth Treherne-Jones has been working with national charity Brain Tumour Research campaigning to raise awareness of brain tumours and lobbying the government and larger cancer charities to see the national spend on research increased.

Gwyneth met husband-to-be Vince Treherne-Jones a matter of weeks before he was diagnosed with a ‘low grade’ meningioma tumour. The pair got married during his treatment and realised their dream of moving to Beaworthy before he sadly passed away at the age of 49.

As March marks Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Gwyneth bravely wished to tell her husband‘s story in full in order to raise awareness of an illness which has had a huge impact on her life.

‘After 12 years as a single mum to three children I was looking for someone special when I joined a dating website,’ said Gwneyth.

‘Vince and I clicked straight away but within a matter of weeks he was taken ill and diagnosed with a brain tumour.

‘People said I should walk away, that I didn’t really know Vince or owe him anything. I have never been a big believer in fate but, looking back, I feel that it was meant to be and that he came into my life for a reason.

‘Vince got through surgery and treatment. At one point he picked up a serious infection and later we learned the tumour was growing once more. We were married in July 2013, he had no hair and a massive dent in the side of his head but I loved him just the same. I felt we were meant to be together and things had fallen into place to make it happen.

‘Less than a year later his condition deteriorated once more and, in the end, Vince’s tumour spread to his liver, lungs and spine. The neurosurgeon told us it was the first time in 40 years that he had seen a primary brain tumour metastasise in this way. The cancer was everywhere but Vince remained character-istically brave.’

Sadly, Vince passed away in January 2015. Gwyneth said his ashes were placed in their garden along with a cherry tree which they chose together shortly before he died.

Gwyneth said that she had recently been working with Brain Tumour Research to highlight the fact that brain tumours kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

She said she hoped to see the figure spent on research increased to between £30-million and £35-millon in line with other cancers such as breast and leukaemia.

She said: ‘Initially, Vince’s tumour was diagnosed as low grade but by the time he died the cancer was extremely aggressive and had invaded his whole body.

‘Talking about Vince still overwhelms me with emotion but I want to keep his memory alive.’

In order to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research, Gwyneth will be taking part in the UK-wide fundraising event, Wear A Hat Day, on Friday, March 31.

Now in its eighth year, Wear A Hat Day will see schools, workplaces, families and individuals across the UK fundraising and taking part in all manner of hat-themed fundraising events to raise awareness of brain tumours and help fund life-saving research.

Funds raised through 2017’s event will develop the charity’s network of brain tumour research centres in the UK, including one at the University of Plymouth where work is focusing on low grade tumours.

To find out more information, visit www.braintumourresearch.org.

To get involved with Wear a Hat Day, or to donate, visit: www.wearahatday.org. Or text HAT to 70660 to donate £5.