Dad gets tattoo of his daughter's brain shunt

A Dad from Walsall has taken showing his support for his daughter to the next level by getting her brain shunt tattooed on his head.

Gareth Hickenbottom-Marriot’s daughter Briar, has a rare condition, which has meant she’s been under the care of multiple teams at Birmingham Children’s Hospital since birth.

The 10-year-old has Goldenhar syndrome, which affects children as they grow. For Briar, this has caused issues with her eating, drinking and vision and has also contributed towards hydrocephalus, which is a build-up of fluid on the brain.

To help relieve some of the pressure caused by the build-up of fluid, Briar had a brain shunt fitted when she was around 18 months old.

The procedure involved her having a thin tube surgically implanted inside her brain to help drain away excess fluid. While her brain shunt is not visible to other people, it has become part of her.

Gareth, who previously had a ‘matching’ cochlear implant tattoo on his head in solidarity with his daughter, who was born deaf, in August 2015, got his new ink last month.

The striking piece of art is now proudly displayed on the other side of the 42-year-old’s head in another show of fatherly support.