Chichester student with brain tumour backs awareness campaign

Chandos Green is a young ambassador for a brain tumour charity

In 1998 Chandos Green was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma and has had three surgeries since, at three, six and 19 years old.

Chandos, 24, originally from Bournemouth, is one of The Brain Tumour Charity’s young ambassadors.

Throughout his life he has experienced headaches, involuntary movements and speech impairment - symptoms the HeadStart campaign is highlighting as warning signs so that other youngsters can be diagnosed quickly.

The Chichester College student after his first operation aged three

Chandos said: “My work as a young ambassador has allowed me to meet with young people and their families around the UK to look at how we can move forward in the fight against brain tumours.

“As one of the biggest cancer killers of the under 40s we need to start investing in this area of cancer research as a major priority, but this starts with recognising the signs first.”

The HeadSmart campaign, which includes a website as well as the symptoms cards, lists the warning signs of a brain tumour in babies, children and teenagers.

HeadSmart is being formally relaunched today, January 16, at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London, where doctors will take part in a workshop to learn about the signs and symptoms of childhood brain tumours

HeadSmart highlights potential brain tumour symptoms. These include vomiting, balance problems and unusual eye movements.

Newly-added symptoms, after a review of all the evidence showing the most common signs of childhood brain tumours, include increasing head circumference in under-fives and loss of vision across all age groups.

Hayley Epps, campaign manager for The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children in the UK.

“HeadSmart has two aims: to save lives and reduce long-term disability by bringing down childhood brain tumour diagnosis times.

“Relaunching the campaign will help us to achieve that goal by alerting more healthcare professionals, parents and young people to the signs and symptoms of the disease.”

HeadSmart is run as a partnership between The Brain Tumour Charity, The Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

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