Mitch Jenderko, 31, a former recruitment consultant from Telford, Shropshire, began experiencing headaches in early 2024, which he attributed to long working hours and excessive screen time. However, in mid-July 2024, he suffered a seizure at work, leading to a hospital admission where brain scans uncovered a tumour initially believed to be low-grade and benign.
Emergency Surgery and Devastating Diagnosis
Doctors grew concerned after noticing "major changes in the tumour's behaviour" on a subsequent scan, and Mitch was rushed into emergency surgery in September 2024. Six weeks later, in October 2024, a biopsy confirmed it was an aggressive, grade four astrocytoma, and he was given a life expectancy of just 18 months to two years.
Mitch said: "I did have headaches but nothing I would have put down to more than everyday work stress, long hours and a fast-paced job. But then I had a seizure at work, and after that they found the brain tumour." He added: "After having the surgery at Royal Stoke University Hospital there was an agonising wait for the results of the biopsy - and that's when it came back that I had a very aggressive kind of cancer. Even the team were shocked when it turned out to be stage four."
Marriage and Fatherhood Amidst Prognosis
Mitch proposed to his now-wife Gemma Jenderko, 32, a senior talent partner, the following month. They married in May 2025, with Mitch undergoing chemotherapy on the morning of their wedding day. The couple are now expecting their first child, due in January.
Gemma said: "I have PTSD from the appointment where we were told Mitch had stage four cancer. Your world just falls apart, it didn't feel real. It was devastating. Now we're just taking things three months at a time for each scan, but the baby is giving us something to keep positive for." She added: "It hit us like a ton of bricks. From this point on we had to not only process this ourselves but also work out how to break the devastating news to family and friends."
Treatment and Fundraising
Mitch underwent eight months of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He said: "Treatment was intense, not just physically but mentally. I wasn't sleeping well and every day was draining. It was really hard." His subsequent scans have come back clear, yet due to its incurable nature, the cancer is expected to return. Gemma noted: "The prognosis remains the same, incurable, regardless of stable scans."
In April, Mitch completed the Brighton Marathon in aid of the Brain Tumour Charity, raising over £4,700. He said: "I'm very positive and keep a great outlook. My last scan came back clear, and then finding out Gem is pregnant, it was a double dose of good news for us."
Support from The Brain Tumour Charity
Shannon Winslade, head of services at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: "We're really grateful to everyone who shares their - often heartbreaking - story to raise awareness. We know that every family deals with a diagnosis and its aftermath in their own unique way. That's why The Brain Tumour Charity offers support to anyone who needs it. It's so important for them to know that they are not alone."
NHS Guidance on Brain Tumour Symptoms
According to the NHS, over 12,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour in the UK each year, about half of which are cancerous. Many others are diagnosed with secondary brain tumours. Symptoms vary depending on the part of the brain affected and may include vision or speech problems, headaches, mental or behavioural changes, progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, persistently feeling sick, and seizures.
The NHS advises seeing a GP if you experience these symptoms, particularly if headaches feel different or are getting worse. If no more likely cause is identified, a referral to a neurologist for further assessment and tests such as a brain scan may be made.
