A heartbroken Scots widow has told how her 'fit and healthy' husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour after the smell of cleaning spray sparked a hospital trip.
Scott Cornwall, who was 59, died in September 2020 after being given just one year to live following his devastating diagnosis.
His wife Hazel Cornwall, 61, first realised her husband was unwell on 7 July 2019.
Scott began experiencing strange smells and sweating badly before he was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Hazel, a nursery nurse from Dalkeith, said: “Scott had been out in the garage. He came in and said the cleaning spray he was using had a terrible smell. He was really sweaty and he wasn’t making any sense.
“We called an ambulance and he was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
"He had auras and said he could taste sweet and sour his mouth."
Scott was initially treated with medication for stroke, but Hazel 'couldn't shake the feeling it was something more serious'.
Scott, a crane operator, had an MRI scan the following day which revealed he had a mass on his brain.
Doctors then delivered the heartbreaking news that he was suffering from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
Hazel was left stunned as her 'fit and healthy' husband was given just a year to live.
Mum to Ryan, 34, and Kelly, 37, Hazel said: “I couldn’t comprehend it. Scott was never at the doctor. He was fit and healthy one day then the next, life got turned upside down.
“After the diagnosis, he got sepsis, shingles, and he had a bleed on the brain. It was pure devastation for our family, but Scott remained upbeat.”
Sadly, Scott never improved and was admitted to a Marie Curie hospice on 1 September 2020. He died the following week, on September 7.
Hazel, who hopes that telling Scott's story will urge others not to ignore symptoms of a brain tumour, is now determined to help other families after Scott was 'handed a death sentence'.
In February, she is taking part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge to raise money for research.
She said: "When Scott was diagnosed with a GBM, he was handed a death sentence. It’s so important to raise money for research so something can be done about this devastating disease.
“I just want to be able to help the next person who has to go through this.”
You can donate to Hazel's fundraiser here.
Brain Tumour Research is calling for people to step up to the February challenge.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
But historically, just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease, the charity say.
Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Hazel for taking on this challenge for us as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Scott who are forced to fight this awful disease.
“The best part of the 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge is that you can fit your steps in with your everyday life. That could be having a coffee and catching up with friends at your local park, walking your commute or school run instead of driving, getting off the bus a few stops earlier or walking around your house whilst on the phone. You could even team up with friends or colleagues and complete your steps together!”
