Cindy Thompson shares story to help us raise awareness
As Cindy Thompson and Elan Cohen fell for each other on Channel 4’s First Dates, the nation fell in love with them, too.
Cindy confided in Elan on screen that her mum had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in November 2016.
Six months on, they’re a couple, and she is sharing her story to help us raise vital awareness.
It was Cindy’s first date for over a year as she’d been helping to care for her mum.
“I’m not usually a nervous person but waiting for Elan at the bar, my hand shook so much, I spilled my drink!” she said.
But she instantly felt comfortable with Elan.
“When I told him about my mum’s brain tumour, he got it and told me about his mum’s depression,” said Cindy.
“He knew how your life can change overnight.”
The family’s nightmare started in October 2016 when Cindy’s mum, Angela, bumped into a lamppost on her way home from a gym class.
“She just put it down to being tired after work or overdoing it at the gym,” said Cindy.
“But later she was watching TV with my dad when she suddenly said; ‘Your face looks pixelated.’”
Then Angela could only see half of his face and was blinded by a dazzling white light. She had a massive seizure.
Cindy’s terrified dad rang 999 and followed the ambulance in his car to hospital.
Doctors broke the devastating news that Angela had a grade 4 glioblastoma, the most common aggressive brain tumour in adults.
.“Mum held my hand and told me she had an incurable brain tumour,” said Cindy.
“I burst into tears and asked if she was going to die. She said she’d been given 12 months to live.”
Angela recovered well from surgery to debulk her golf ball-sized tumour, and also coped well with treatment.
Sadly, a scan in February showed that her tumour had grown and is now inoperable.
“I will face whatever happens with my family and I feel blessed to have Elan at my side,” said Cindy.
.“And I think it gives Mum peace knowing I’ve found him.
“Now I am backing The Brain Tumour Charity as this cruel disease can strike any one at any time.”
Sarah Lindsell, our chief executive, said: “Our hearts go out to Cindy and her family facing this brutal disease.
“We are so grateful she is sharing her story to help us raise awareness – brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and under-40s in the UK, yet research is woefully underfunded.”
Pic © Cindy and Elan_Dave King / Channel 4 Picture Publicity