Daughters to run Swansea marathon after mum's brain tumour diagnosis

After a mother was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, her family have been doing everything they can to help.

Fifty-two year old Sam Edwards from Llangan in the Vale of Glamorgan was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer six months ago.

She has praised the medical staff for helping her through it.

"What can you say when you have that news, you accept it," said Sam. "The nurses were brilliant, the doctors were brilliant."

Talking about the impact of a cancer diagnosis on family members, Sam's husband Julian said: "it's hard on the family, cancer is, this is going to sound very selfish and I hate myself for saying it, but unless you have cancer in the family it always happens to someone else.

"When it happens to yourself you have to stop, take a moment and absorb that first and we are all on a very steep learning curve to understand what is this tumour."

Up until the moment she had a seizure, Sam felt fit and healthy. However, an MRI scan revealed the stage four cancer diagnosis.

She is currently undergoing chemotherapy, but there is no cure. Though Sam isn't in any physical pain, she struggles with memory loss.

"I can not remember the words that I want to so sometime i want to say a word, I know what it is in my head but I can't get it out so that's the problem. there's an awful lot of words I can't say so I have to ask than for help.

Next month Sam's two daughters will take part in the Swansea half marathon to raise money for the brain tumour charity. They have already raised over five thousand pounds.

Ahead of the run, her daughter, 21-year-old Robyn, said: "I think what'll be going through my head is how generous people have been with the donations and think everyone has donated amazing money for this amazing cause, if I feel a bit tired I'll think of that and keep going."

Robyn's older sister, Nancie, 26, added: "Sometimes when I run I do think or Mum, I do think I'm doing this for Mum, you know she's got this awful diagnosis I don't so I can carry on going and that helps me get through the next minute.

"Then new thought in the head but yeah Mum definitely pops into my head, she never leaves my head but during the run I think it'll be this is for Mum this is what we can do to do our bit for her."

The sisters are taking part in the half marathon in order to raise more awareness and help families after a loved one is diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Robyn said: "When mum got diagnosed, obviously the first thing you do is Google everything and there's not much out there about brain tumours, there's not many things you can turn to.

"There's Facebook groups, but there's just not much awareness, like none of my friends knew anything about it, none of our family knew anything about it."