Inspirational People of Mid-Staffordshire: Tom Shaw
"There definitely will be quality of life in the future."
Meet Tom Shaw, a 42-year-old man from Stafford who fought back against a life-threatening brain tumour and lived to share his remarkable story of survival, resilience, and humour.
Tom has now written a book about his experience and is now available for only £3 (eBook). More information below or Click here to purchase
Toms Story
The Journey to Diagnosis
Tom’s story began with a persistent "weird headache" that simply wouldn't go away. Despite his instincts that something was wrong, his path to diagnosis was fraught with dismissals. It took seven separate visits to the doctor before he was finally granted an MRI scan. At one point, he was even advised to visit a dentist instead of receiving the neurological care he needed.
The Battle for Survival
The MRI revealed the reality: a life-threatening brain tumour. Tom underwent a gruelling 13-hour operation to remove the mass, a procedure so risky that there was no guarantee he would survive it. Following the surgery, Tom faced a long and arduous road to recovery. He spent a full year in the hospital, where he had to relearn basic human functions, including how to talk again. The ordeal has left him as a wheelchair user, but his spirit remains unbroken.
A snippet from the book
Snippet 1: It was around six hours later when Professor Cruickshank returned. “You’ve probably worked out that things aren’t going to plan. The tumour has an abnormal blood supply, and this hospital isn’t equipped for what we need to do.” Snippet 2: I would be transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital about a mile and a half away where he could bring in his full team and what we later learned was a unique piece of specialist equipment. My parents and girlfriend drove to the Q.E. and waited in a shabby waiting room with slashed seats and a broken vending machine. Quite a contrast! More hours crept by. Professor Cruickshank returned with horrific news. “It’s essentially inoperable. It’s become entangled with several hundred tiny blood vessels. The big problem is that it’s so distended with blood it’s likely to burst at any point, almost certainly within the next forty-eight hours.” My father asked about the risk of operating. “The risk of NOT operating is that he is unlikely to live more than two days.”
Turning a painful experience into a moderately entertaining book
Rather than letting his experience define him negatively, Tom channelled his journey into writing. He authored a book with the unique and memorable title: "Brain Tumours, John Bonham and Fat Pigeons".
The book is described as a "remarkable" account where his "irrepressible humour keeps breaking through," proving that even in the darkest times, laughter can be a vital survival tool. It ends on a hopeful note, with Tom on holiday, reflecting on a doctor's promise that quality of life would return.
Tom’s Message to You
Tom uses his platform to spread a vital message to others: "Don't ignore what your body is telling you."
His story highlights the critical need for awareness, noting that brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of people under 40, yet often receive a fraction of the research funding compared to other cancers.