A dad who collapsed suddenly after his daughter heard him making 'weird noises' was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died just 15 months later. Mick Laws, 55, was found slumped on the floor by his 19-year-old daughter Evie and his wife Jo, who initially thought he was having a heart attack.
Jo gave him CPR before he was rushed to hospital after having three seizures. Doctors discovered a tumour on his brain, and the father of three was diagnosed with glioblastoma in late 2024. Mick died in January 2026, just 15 months after his diagnosis.
Sudden Collapse and Diagnosis
Jo, from Chelmsford, Essex, said: 'It was completely out of the blue when our 19-year-old daughter Evie told me that Mick was making some really weird noises. I found him slumped, and thought Mick was having a heart attack, so I gave him CPR but then he had three massive seizures.'
At the hospital, a doctor informed the family that Mick had a brain tumour. Jo recalled: 'A doctor came along and just blurted out that Mick had a brain tumour which was a bombshell moment. I went home and researched all the different tumour types and stages. I remember going back to the hospital the next day saying that I didn't want it to be a Grade 4 tumour, but that is what Mick had.'
Surgery and Treatment
Mick underwent a 10-hour surgery at Queen's Hospital in Romford in December 2024. Jo said: 'I remember having a conversation with the surgeon who said that they had managed to remove so much of the tumour. I thought then that we could get through it.' He had six weeks of radiotherapy and was scheduled for six months of chemotherapy, but he did not complete the full course because it was not working.
'Mick always remained very positive. It was not about curing Mick but spending as much time as possible with him. He had had all the treatment, so the oncologist told us to go away for the summer and have a brilliant time, so we did,' Jo added.
Fundraising Campaign
Mick, who was managing director for the London region of housing specialist Lovell, remained positive throughout his illness. His former Lovell colleagues are aiming to raise more than £100,000 through a series of fundraising events across the country as part of The Big Lovell Brainwave, a two-year campaign to raise funds for vital research and awareness.
The first fundraising event, The Big Golf Day Brainwave, was held in Wales at Whitchurch Golf Club on Thursday 11 June. Jo said: 'It changes you for the rest of your life. I am moved and extremely grateful for what Lovell have done to support us through Mick's journey; the fact they are continuing to support Brain Tumour Research is just amazing.'
'I was so honoured to be asked to be part of this because that is exactly what Mick would have wanted us to have done. It's so important to raise awareness of this devastating disease because we just didn't have any idea about brain tumours. The money raised by Lovell will go into research to try to help other people, that's got to be a good thing.'
Impact and Support
Steve Coleby, managing director at Lovell, said: 'Brain tumours devastate lives and every diagnosis changes a family forever. This campaign is about turning grief into action, funding vital research and bringing hope to other families affected by brain tumours.'
Dan Knowles, chief executive of Brain Tumour Research, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Lovell as a corporate fundraising partner. Partnerships like this are absolutely vital if we are to accelerate progress towards better treatments and a cure.'
'Lovell's commitment, inspired by Mick's devastating story, demonstrates the powerful role businesses can play in driving change. By raising both funds and awareness, they are helping to shine a light on a disease that has been overlooked for far too long. Together, we can give hope to patients and families affected by brain tumours.'
To support The Big Lovell Brainwave, visit justgiving.com/campaign/the-big-lovell-brainwave-with-brain-tumour-research.
