The Wanted singer Tom Parker has been diagnosed with terminal cancer at 32
Tom Parker of boyband The Wanted has revealed that he has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.
The 32 year old singer from Bolton shared the sad news on Instagram, where he and his wife Kelsey explained that the tumour is inoperable, but that he is currently undergoing treatment.
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Hide AdWhat did Tom Parker say in his Instagram post?
Parker shared a photo of himself with his wife and 16 month old daughter, Aurelia Rose, alongside a caption explaining his diagnosis.
The singer wrote, "Hey guys, you know that we’ve both been quiet on social media for a few weeks and it’s time to tell you why.
"There’s no easy way to say this but I’ve sadly been diagnosed with a Brain Tumour and I’m already undergoing treatment. We decided, after a lot of thought, that rather than hiding away and trying to keep it a secret, we would do one interview where we could lay out all the details and let everyone know the facts in our own way.
"We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way. We don’t want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options. It’s gonna be a tough battle but with everyone’s love and support we are going to beat this. Tom and Kelsey xxx"
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Hide AdThe couple announced in May that they were expecting their second baby together.
Tom told OK! Magazine that he’s “still in complete shock, it’s so much to take in.”
Wife Kelsey added, "It has been a crazy six weeks. We had an inkling that something was wrong in July, but we never could have imagined it was this."
Tom told the magazine that he underwent tests after he began suffering from unexplained seizures, with doctors revealing six weeks ago that he had a grade four glioblastoma.
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Hide AdThe singer is now undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.
What is a glioblastoma?
The Mayo Clinic explains that “glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord. Glioblastoma forms from cells called astrocytes that support nerve cells.”
Glioblastoma can occur at any age, but tends to occur more often in older adults.
Also known as glioblastoma multiforme, the cancer can be very difficult to treat and a cure is often not possible, but treatments may slow progression of the cancer and reduce signs and symptoms. It can cause worsening headaches, nausea, vomiting and seizures.
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Hide Ad“For people who can't undergo surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be used as a primary treatment,” adds the Mayo Clinic.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams (such as X-rays or protons) to kill cancer cells. In contrast to this, chemotherapy uses medicine to kill cancer cells.
The NHS explains, “There are many different types of chemotherapy medicine, but they all work in a similar way.
“They stop cancer cells reproducing, which prevents them from growing and spreading in the body.”
A version of this article originally appeared on our sister site, Yorkshire Evening Post.