Bridgend Man’s Two-Decade Wait for Brain Cyst Removal

Nathan Clements experienced a delay of over two decades in obtaining treatment for a brain cyst, a condition comparable to one affecting television personality Davina McCall. The 50-year-old Bridgend resident initially developed migraines during his adolescence, and following years where “nothing being done,” the cyst was identified just a decade ago. This growth, described as being the size of a tennis ball, was excised merely one day post-diagnosis. However, it has resulted in permanent health issues for him, prompting his call for individuals to seek medical explanations if they sense an underlying problem. Ms. McCall, known for hosting Channel 4’s Big Brother, ITV’s Long Lost Family, and My Mum, Your Dad, in addition to Comic and Sport Relief for the BBC, underwent an operation this week for the removal of a colloid cyst. Mr. Clements stated that despite the rarity of brain tumours, his persistence proved life-saving. His initial symptoms emerged in 1988 during his teenage years when he consulted his general practitioner regarding migraines, yet “nothing was really done for years and years.” Over twenty years subsequent to this, at the age of 40, he received a diagnosis of a brain tumour following an incident he described as a “funny turn” while driving to the university where he was pursuing history studies. Subsequent examinations revealed an eperdermoid cyst measuring 68 x 68 x 76 mm (2.6 x 2.6 x 3in). “You could put a tennis ball inside it,” he informed BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. Medical professionals performed surgery the day after his diagnosis, cautioning that failure to remove it could be fatal. An eperdermoid cyst represents a non-malignant formation, composed of either fluid and skin or solely skin cells, and constitutes under 1% of benign brain tumours. The Brain Trust indicates that, as a component of the colloid cyst category, its growth rate and associated symptoms can differ among individuals. Mr. Clements expressed gratitude to his wife, Sarah, crediting her for refusing to accept setbacks and for vigorously pursuing answers regarding his condition. “We all have superheroes, some have capes, mine wears a wedding ring.” The cyst was causing herniation (a condition where an organ or tissue protrudes through an opening) onto Nathan’s brain stem. Furthermore, a section of it had calcified because of its prolonged presence, leading to the erosion of parts of his skull. “The length of time the cyst was in there for has almost made the cyst itself secondary in terms of the issues I now have. ” He further stated, “I’ve had four titanium plates fitted and removed – I now have very poor balance and need a wheelchair.” This difficult experience has resulted in permanent harm, and he currently relies on regular morphine use to alleviate his pain. He is advocating for individuals to seek medical explanations and maintain persistence if they perceive an issue with their well-being. “Not everybody with migraines has a cyst or tumour, the vast majority don’t, but if one person listens to this and gets checked that would be great, as I don’t want anyone’s to grow as big as mine did.” He emphasized, “The main reason I want to talk about this is to urge people not to take no for an answer – push if you’re in this situation – get that scan! The longer you leave it undiagnosed, the worse it will be.” Ms. McCall disclosed last week that an unrelated health scan revealed a colloid cyst. After a period of “putting her head in the sand,” as she described it, she consulted neurologists and concluded that its removal was necessary. She underwent surgery earlier this week and has since been discharged from intensive care. Her partner, Michael Douglas, reported that she had achieved an “enormous step forward” in a recent update shared on her Instagram page. Reporting contributions were also made by Ben Dain-Smith. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.