Beloved grandad diagnosed with deadly tumour after forgetting how to drive
A beloved grandfather died after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour when he mysteriously forgot how to drive.
The tumour, likened to an 'exploding paintball gun', spread rapidly throughout his brain. Chris Beck, who had just celebrated his 70th birthday, discovered the orange-sized mass in July 2022. The early warning signs were subtle yet alarming - he struggled to write and inexplicably forgot how to drive, despite his job as a contract driver transporting vulnerable children to and from school.
The father-of-two and doting grandfather-of-four underwent a craniotomy to debulk the tumour at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in August. Despite the surgeon's best efforts to remove 98% of it, the aggressive glioblastoma had scattered irretrievable cancer cells throughout his brain.
Granddaughter Amie Beck, 14, has paid tribute to her grandad, who she called 'Giya' (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)
Chris and Amie Beck in 2022 (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)Given the ferocity of the cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were ruled out as viable options to prolong or improve Chris' quality of life. Tragically, Chris, a resident of Leadgate, County Durham, passed away on December 1, 2022, less than six months after his diagnosis.
His 14-year-old granddaughter, Amie Beck from Durham, paid a touching tribute to her beloved grandad. She fondly recalled: "My grandad was my 'Giya'. That's what I called him when I was really little and couldn't pronounce letters properly, but it stuck. Giya was thrilled with it because it meant he didn't sound too old."
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Granddaughter Amie Beck, 14, from Durham, paid tribute to her grandad. Amie said: "My grandad was my 'Giya'. That's what I called him when I was really little and couldn't pronounce letters properly, but it stuck. Giya was thrilled with it because it meant he didn't sound too old.
"We were incredibly close, I had countless trips to Scarborough on holiday with him and my grandma and went to their house after school and most weekends, but suddenly, everything changed. It all happened so quickly. I don't want anyone else my age to see someone they love dearly in the state that I saw my Giya. Glioblastoma is a horrific illness that decays a person piece by piece and we desperately need more funding to find a cure." She added: "The doctors basically told him there was nothing they could do, and he had to go home to die."
The family are now backing a Brain Tumour Research campaign for more funding (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)When she heard the tragic news of his diagnosis, Amie was on holiday in Florida with her dad Laurence, mum Gemma, and siblings Stuart, 22, Ethan, 12, and Lily-Mae, nine. Amie recalls the shocking sight upon their return from Florida in August: "Giya already had undergone this massive brain operation and was left with two black marks around his eyes."
"Seeing him like that was a big shock and nothing like I would have ever expected, so understandably I burst out crying as soon as Giya couldn't see me," she said. Despite his deteriorating health, Giya managed to share a precious moment with Amie, smiling for a photograph in the hospital canteen - a memory she will treasure forever. Now, Chris' family is rallying behind the charity Brain Tumour Research, and pledging support for their petition to increase research funding. The charity hope to reach 100,000 signatures, enough to prompt a parliamentary debate, turning their personal tragedy into a beacon of hope for others.
The family have managed to raise £640 for charity through a coffee morning. Laurence shared his family's shock and grief over his father's sudden illness, saying: "Dad's illness was such a shock to us all, especially myself and my brother Jordan. We couldn't believe how quickly he declined. It's a very cruel, debilitating cancer."
Laurence also spoke about his niece Amie's close relationship with her grandfather and her dedication to the cause. He said: "Amie was so close to her grandad and is really passionate about helping this cause. She spoke at dad's funeral and it was incredibly heartfelt. She speaks as somebody much older than her years."
Brain Tumour Research is urging the government to allocate £110 million from current and new funding to jump-start an increase in national investment in brain tumour research. Their goal is to reach £35 million a year by 2028. Matt Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "We are sorry to hear about Chris but are grateful to his family for supporting our petition, and for Amie's heartfelt tribute to her 'Giya', to help raise awareness. For too long governments have put brain tumours on the 'too difficult to think about' pile. Five years after the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research, just £15 million has been spent.
"Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose. If everyone can spare just a few minutes to sign and share, we will soon hit the 100,000 signatures we need and help find a cure, bringing hope to families whose loved ones have been affected by brain tumours." Anyone interested in supporting the campaign can sign and share the petition before it closes at the end of October 2023.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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