Tom Parker of music group The Wanted has opened up about his life since his cancer diagnosis for a brain tumour.
Parker revealed in October 2020 that he had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour; last month he announced that the results of a scan had showed that it was “stable” and “under control.”
Speaking to an All-Party Parliamentary Group on brain tumours, Parker, 33, said that he’d suffered “moments of real sadness and darkness” since his cancer diagnosis last year (via AP news).
He then went on to say that he was “staggered” better treatments have not been found for those suffering from the condition, while a vaccine for Covid-19 was found within a year.
Speaking to an audience of politicians, brain tumour activists and patients via a video-link, Parker said: “I’m staggered they can find a cure for Covid within a year but, for decades on end, they haven’t found better treatments let alone a cure for brain tumours.”
He then asked the group: “Why is it taking so long for clinical trials to come through?”
He continued: “My diagnosis came as a complete shock. It’s been an interesting journey so far and I’ve experienced moments of real sadness and darkness. Some of those low points I attribute to the level of toxicity in the treatment process. It’s truly horrific and disgusting but it was my only choice and I hope it did the job it needed to do.”
Parker raised awareness about the lack of funding for brain cancer research in a Channel 4 documentary called Inside My Head. He recently told The Independent that the response to the event was “incredible”.
“It was a worldwide response,” he added.
Speaking about a concert of the same name that The Wanted performed at The Royal Albert Hall, Parker said: “I think that’s the beauty of social media these days. And that was our intention – to try and raise as much awareness as possible about this disease.”
