Man diagnosed with terminal brainstem glioblastoma turns to poetry and advocacy

Jamie Kehoe, a 31-year-old former marketing manager from Stretford, Greater Manchester, first noticed a tingling sensation in his mouth and loss of balance, which his dentist could not explain. Prompted by his wife Hannah, he consulted a GP who referred him to Salford Royal Hospital, where imaging uncovered a grade-four glioblastoma on the brain stem, deemed inoperable and giving him an initial life expectancy of 12 to 18 months.

He underwent six weeks of radiotherapy at The Christie, later joined a clinical drug trial, and after a brief remission married Hannah in November 2024 and welcomed son Elliot. As the tumour returned, he completed a second radiotherapy course in May and now struggles with speech, turning to poetry; his debut collection supports brain-tumour research and will be exhibited at Stretford’s Unofficial Museum in October.