Luke Taylor, 27, from Cheshire in England, has spoken about the moment he received the devastating diagnosis and how it left him fearing the worst. He said the news made him believe he was going to die.
The civil engineer said he went back to his doctor again and again over the years. According to Luke, he was repeatedly told that his symptoms were “just migraines” and that there was nothing seriously wrong with him.
Then, in July 2025, his condition began to get much worse. He said he started suffering migraines and vomiting several times a day, which made it clear that something had changed.
‘I thought I was going to die’
At last, Luke underwent an MRI scan, and the results revealed that he had a rare tumor called a haemangioblastoma. This type of tumor can develop in the brain and spinal cord. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these tumors are not cancerous, but they can still cause major problems if they grow large enough to press on nearby tissue.
In Luke’s case, the tumor had grown to the size of a golf ball, which made the situation even more alarming.
Doctors told him that without emergency surgery, he may have had only a matter of days left to live.
“I was 26 when I was diagnosed. I had the rest of my life ahead of me, I have a daughter, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell my family.”
“They said if I didn’t have emergency surgery, I could have days to live. I thought I was going to die.”
‘Every day was frustrating, exhausting, and emotional’
Luke’s partner, Nia Jones, later described what happened after the operation and how serious his condition became. She explained: “I saw Luke after his operation – he was very erratic. He was slurring his words and couldn’t open his eyes.”
“Then a day after the surgery, we were told he had a bleed on the brain and had to go back in for emergency surgery.”
Luke stayed in the hospital for 18 days before being discharged. Even then, his health was still poor, and the hard part of recovery was only just beginning.
“Every day was frustrating, exhausting, and emotional – for both of us – but we were determined to do everything possible to help him recover.”
‘I cried my eyes out’
Then, in November 2025, Luke finally received some positive news when doctors told him the surgery had been successful.
“I was overwhelmed when they told me the surgery was successful,” the dad said. “I cried my eyes out, I was so happy they got it all.”
Now, Luke is focused on raising awareness about brain tumors and collecting money for The Brain Tumour Charity, hoping his story can help others get answers sooner.
“That’s why The Brain Tumour Charity works with healthcare professionals to increase their confidence in recognising signs and symptoms, and in referring for scans if they are at all concerned.”
To support that effort, Luke, Nia, his sister Leah, and Leah’s partner Gary plan to hike the three Yorkshire peaks in one day on July 18, 2026.
She added: “We want to show people that there is light at the end of the tunnel and people can get through this.”
If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, you can do so here.
