Father told he has brain tumour after smell ‘followed him around’

‘I’d heard of people having plum or apple-sized tumours and I had a pea. So, I thought ‘I have a pea, I can do this’.

A dad-of-two was diagnosed with a brain tumour after thinking he could smell matches and fireworks burning.

Neil Danziger, 47, started getting lightheaded and smelling things burning in December 2020.

Neil decided to get his symptoms checked out as he had previously suffered from high blood pressure and cholesterol and his grandad, John Sive, had died of a heart attack at age 60.

After a few tests, Neil was told that he had a brain tumour and was in complete shock.

Neil, who works in recruitment, from Queen’s Park, London said: “Since early December 2020 I’d been having lightheaded moments.

“Often if I’d been doing something I’d need to sit down, and it was followed by a strong sense of smell.

I felt surprised but ready for battle – my game face came out.

“I felt as optimistic as I possibly could because it was so small, only 1cm.

“I’d heard of people having plum or apple-sized tumours and I had a pea. So, I thought ‘I have a pea, I can do this’.”

After his diagnosis, Neil went to see a neurologist and had an operation to take the tumour out on February 8, 2021.

Neil checked himself into The Wellington Hospital, North London and was in the operating theatre by the afternoon.

He said: “As far as they could tell, they had got it all. Everything went pretty well and they were happy with my recovery.

“The next day I was feeling OK but a bit sore on the side of my head, where they’d operated.”

After the operation, a biopsy of his tumour was sent off to the labs.

Although initially identified as a low-grade pilocytic astrocytoma - slow-growing tumours that arise from cells.

Neil’s tumour was found to be surrounding cells from a mutated gene more commonly found in high-grade diffuse midline gliomas - primary central nervous system tumours - which led doctors to recommend a more aggressive treatment plan.

He went on to have six weeks of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed by six months of chemotherapy.

The dad, who is being monitored with regular scans, said: “Being diagnosed initially was a shock but I felt as optimistic as I possibly could because it was so small only 1cm.

“I’d heard of people having plum or apple-size tumours and I had a pea, so I thought ‘I have a pea, I can do this’.”“I felt surprised but ready for battle – my game face came out,”

Having raised more than £16,000 for Brain Tumour Research, February 8, 2022, Neil Danziger and his wife Victoria were invited to the charity’s Centre of Excellence at the Queen Mary University of London.

(Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)

The hospital is leading the way in research into glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and aggressive form of brain tumour in adults.

They spoke to scientists about their work to find a cure for the disease and placed six tiles on a Wall of Hope, each one representative of the £2,740 it costs to fund a day of research.

Neil raised the money by taking part in the popular Brain Tumour Research Walk of Hope fundraiser last year.He said: “The Walk of Hope was such a rewarding and enjoyable experience, and it was invigorating to be out having finished my fifth round of chemo just a few days before.

“I was joined by lots of my friends, including several who used to drive me to my radiotherapy sessions and then walk around Regent’s Park with me after, so to walk 13 miles across London with them was fantastic.”