A man diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor has detailed the 'insignificant' symptoms he experienced prior to receiving a prognosis.
It was in October 2025 when Shane Crommer, from Nottingham, UK, began to experience some unexplained symptoms he initially thought nothing of.
Shane initially experienced tiredness and headaches, which he put down to a busy family life taking care of his 20-month-old son, Elijah, who he parents with wife Laura.
The Brit also experienced vision problems, which he put down to an outdated glasses prescription. Shane thought at the time all of these symptoms were 'insignificant' - but it was anything but.
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The 35-year-old said: "I was just tired all the time. But I explained it away. I told myself I’d be fine.
"I thought my vision problems were nothing serious, I assumed my prescription needed updating, as I’d worn glasses most of my life.
“I’d lose my keys, feel less sharp, and sometimes just forget what I was doing. Each symptom on its own felt insignificant, but looking back, they were all connected.”
Laura even began to notice things that weren't quite right with her partner, stating he was suffering from tiredness and being less 'on it' for even a couple of months.
Things deteriorated for Shane come October 2025 when he had constant pressure behinds his eye and ear, as well as extreme tiredness, amongst other health symptoms.
One incident saw Shane falling when trying to pick up his young son, which raised alarm bells and saw him book an urgent GP appointment.
Shane was taken to hospital following the appointment where tests revealed multiple tumors were present on his brain.
He was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma, a highly aggressive form of cancer that occurs in children and young adults.
Shane said: “The reality hit hard. The hardest part wasn’t thinking about myself. It was thinking about Laura and Elijah, and what it would mean not to be here for them."
After completing 30 sessions of radiotherapy, Shane is now being assessed for whether he can be involved in a clinical trial.
He is now sharing his story and hoping to spread awareness, while also supporting the launch of the Brain Tumor Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Nottingham.
Shane added: "If something doesn’t feel right, speak up. Trust the people close to you who notice changes. Ask questions and request further investigation. Brain tumours don’t discriminate. Families deserve better options, better treatments, and better hope than currently exists."
Callum Jones