A 34-year-old machinist from Wrexham, Wales, has been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after he says his symptoms were repeatedly dismissed by doctors. Joshua Smith began experiencing headaches and confusion but claims he was sent home and told there was nothing to worry about. His wife Kelly insisted on further investigation, leading to a CT scan that revealed a 4.5cm mass on his brain.
Diagnosis and Surgery
In January, Joshua was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, an aggressive grade 4 brain tumour with a prognosis of 12 to 18 months and no known cure. According to The Brain Tumour Charity, glioblastomas are sometimes called glioblastoma multiforme, GBM or GBM4 but are now officially termed glioblastoma, IDH wildtype. Symptoms include headaches, tiredness, seizures, sight problems, trouble speaking and personality changes.
Kelly said: "In January, Joshua started complaining of what seemed like brain fog. Then one night he developed an excruciating migraine and said it felt like his head was going to explode. The pain lasted for days. I took him to the GP because I knew something wasn't right. Joshua never goes to the doctor. I remember saying there were red flags, but we were told there was nothing to worry about."
Days later, she took him to A&E in Wrexham, where they were sent home with morphine. The next morning, Kelly insisted he return to hospital instead of going to work. A CT scan then revealed the mass. Initially told it was not cancer, they felt hopeful, but the next day doctors apologised and confirmed it was cancer.
Treatment and Recovery
Joshua was referred to The Walton Centre in Liverpool, where surgeons confirmed the mass was a glioblastoma and advised surgery despite risks including paralysis, personality changes and death. On February 24, surgeons successfully removed around 95% of the tumour. Joshua then underwent six weeks of radiotherapy alongside chemotherapy and will continue treatment.
Kelly said: "When Josh woke up from surgery, the first thing he did was ring me and ask for a KFC Bargain Bucket. I told him he could have whatever he wanted. Amazingly, he was walking and talking within 24 hours and was home within three days. It's incredible, but it almost makes it harder to process because everything looks normal when it's not."
The couple had been trying to start a family and enjoyed exploring the country in their self-converted campervan. Kelly said: "At the moment, those plans have had to be put on hold while we focus on Joshua's treatment, but we still make the most of every opportunity to create special memories together."
Campaigning for Research
During Glioblastoma Awareness Week, Joshua and Kelly are working with the charity Brain Tumour Research to campaign for increased government investment into brain tumour research. Every year, around 3,200 people in the UK are diagnosed with a glioblastoma, and just one-third survive beyond 12 months, according to the charity.
They are supporting the charity's manifesto for Wales, It's Time to do Things Differently, which highlights that no brain cancer patients were recruited to clinical trials in Wales between 2019 and 2024. Kelly raised more than £2,000 by walking 200km in May to support the charity's work at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Nottingham.
She said: "There are options and emerging treatments that give families hope, but they aren't always available here in the UK. That's incredibly frustrating. Joshua's story is still being written and we're holding on to every bit of positivity we can. That's why supporting research is so important. We need more options, more treatments and ultimately a cure."
Dr Karen Noble, director of research policy and innovation at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Joshua's story reflects the devastating reality faced by so many families across the UK. We are calling on the Government to increase the national investment in research into brain tumours, including glioblastoma. We need to also see an increase in the number of clinical trials, and access to them, in the UK, and we want to end inequalities in access to whole genome sequencing that could inform access to trials and emerging treatments."
