Poignant event will remember loved ones at Christmas

TWO North East families are raising awareness of end-of-life charity, Marie Curie, ahead of its annual service to remember loved ones.

- By EMILY GRAY Reporter

Marie Curie's Lights to Remember Service will take place tomorrow (December 7) at Newcastle Cathedral during Grief Awareness Week, which runs until Monday.

David and Vickie Bradford, from Northumberland, will be remembering David's son, Adam, during the service, who died aged only 27 at the Marie Curie Hospice on December 13 2019, from a grade four anaplastic oligodendroglioma brain tumour. Reflecting on that time, David said: "Adam was diagnosed with the rare advanced aggressive brain tumour aged 24 following a seizure at home.

"We just couldn't believe it because Adam was a healthy young man. My mum, Adam's grandmother, Janet Young, died from the same type of brain tumour when she was just 57. It's such a devastating disease. He underwent surgery at the RVI in Newcastle, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy at the Freeman Hospital. Adam had a second operation in December 2018 because the MRI scans revealed the tumour was growing again.

"Following regular scans, appointments with specialist doctors and further appointments with his consultant, we thought things had plateaued as Adam felt well and able to carry on with his albeit limited lifestyle which the tumour had left him with."