THIS is the incredible moment a musician was seen playing the guitar while doctors removed a “golf ball-sized” tumour from his brain.
Patient Colin Miller, from Herne Bay, reflected on the “fascinating” experience of strumming a tune as doctors performed the operation.
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Colin, 64, played the chords on his acoustic guitar to keep mobility in his hand and fingers during the eight-hour surgery.
The musician was diagnosed with glioblastoma – a fast-growing type of brain tumour – in October 2023.
“I was given a choice of being awake or asleep for the procedure,” Colin revealed.
“The doctor questioned how I use motor movements on my left side, and I told him I play the guitar.
“So not to lose mobility in my hand and fingers, they asked me to bring in my guitar and I was woken up part way through my surgery and played different tunes.
“I couldn’t process playing any familiar songs but strummed chords.
“The whole experience was fascinating.”
Glioblastomas are treated with surgery if the patient is well enough, with the hopes of removing as much of the tumour as possible.
Then a course of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both usually follows.
The average survival time is 12-18 months, with tragically only 25 per cent of patients living for over a year.
But every case is different, and some patients live beyond five years or longer.
Alex Lochrane, Chief Executive at The Brain Tumour Charity, which funds world-class research and provides specialist support services, said: “Around 12,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year and while we have seen some encouraging steps forward in both research and care in recent years, we know progress isn’t happening fast enough and we need to act now.”
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
Alex said: “We urgently need to see greater investment in world-class research, to help diagnose the disease earlier, to better understand the causes and find new treatments, in order to give those affected hope of more time to live and a better quality of life.”
‘CURE CAN’T WAIT’
Colin subsequently underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and visits King’s College Hospital in London four times a year for scans.
Despite his condition, Colin recently returned to rehearsals with the Herne Bay Baptist Church band, occasionally singing.
He said: “Speaking and singing are two different skills. My brain takes a while to process during conversations but when I’m singing, I can perform the lyrics well.”
To mark a year since his procedure, Mr Miller has started a fundraising challenge to support charity Brain Tumour Research.
He has pledged to walk 99 miles this month and so far has raised £682.
What are the symptoms of glioblastoma and how soon do they show?
Glioblastomas are the most common brain tumour in adults, while also being very aggressive and deadly.
Brain Tumour Research says tumours increase pressure in the skull, causing headaches.
Symptoms to look for are:
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of balance
- Mood swings
- Problems speaking
- Problems with memory or concentration
- Seizures
- Impaired vision
The symptoms can initially be quite non-specific, meaning they could be mistaken for lots of other conditions- even stress or a hangover.
The brain controls so many different functions that symptoms can vary greatly depending on where in the brain the tumour is.
Glioblastomas are very fast growing. Once found, experts can see them double within seven weeks.
But, according to Dr Stephen Bagley, assistant professor of medicine at Penn Medicine, the first spark of glioblastoma in the brain remains something of a mystery to medical experts.
One study concluded that a glioblastoma starts growing 330 days on average – almost a year – before a diagnosis.
Another found that there are changes in immune function up to five years before a diagnosis, with markers in blood samples – but symptoms only occur three months prior.
As of November 26, he has already clocked 65 miles.
He continued: “I’ve always been keen on walking and for this challenge, I have a spreadsheet of all my walks so far, and I’m averaging six miles each day.
“I had to give up my driving licence, but I can still move my body, and I feel blessed to be able to do so in support of the brain tumour community.
“I’ve been struck with emotion upon reading the stories shared among the group on Facebook.
“I truly believe that investing in research will lead us to finding kinder treatments and eventually a cure for this devastating disease.”
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