Man plays guitar during 8-hour brain surgery to remove golf ball-sized tumour

• ITV News Meridian's Megan Samrai spoke with Colin Miller about his operation

An amateur musician has spoken out about what it was like to play the guitar during his 8-hour brain surgery.

Colin Miller from Kent was diagnosed with a life-limiting glioblastoma last year after the left side of his face went into spasm.

He had an operation to remove a golf ball-sized tumour in his brain at King’s College Hospital in London.

During the procedure, he played the instrument so doctors could make sure he wouldn’t lose mobility in his hands and fingers. 

Colin says he was not nervous about the procedure and "knew he'd be well".

He said: "I was playing in my head a song that was important to me. They repeatedly said 'play it again, play it again'.

"I'm a total geek so I was fascinated with the technology around me.

"I wasn't nervous. I had total faith with the surgeons. I knew that I was going to be well. It's made me cherish every day. This year, 2024, has been a bonus."

Colin had chemotherapy and radiotherapy and is now monitored with three-monthly scans.

Just over a year after the operation, Colin, from Herne Bay, is now taking on a month-long challenge to raise money for charity.

He is walking 99 miles in November for charity Brain Tumour Research, raising more than £700 so far.

Colin said: "I’ve always been keen on walking and for this challenge I have a spreadsheet of all my walks so far, and I’m averaging six miles each day.

"I had to give up my driving licence, but I can still move my body, and I feel blessed to be able to do so in support of the brain tumour community."

There is more than 100 different types of brain tumours and the number of diagnoses has risen by 11% in the last decade, according to Brain Tumour Research.

The disease is indiscriminate and can affect people at any age.

Brain Tumour Research spokesperson, Hugh Adams, said one in three people know someone affected by a brain tumour.

He said: "It's a less common cancer but it's not a rare form of cancer. It's uniquely devastating.

"The statistics around it are shocking. It's the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40.

"If we're going to do something about it, we need to coalesce, amplify our voice and make a difference."

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