Dad thought he had Covid 'vaccine side-effects' but it was brain tumour

04 January 2024 , 13:35

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Shaf and his wife Mirriam (Image: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)

A dad who believed he was suffering the after effects of the Covid vaccine was shocked when he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Shaf Ahmed, 39 and from Birmingham, was treated in hospital for a suspected stroke in 2021 after experiencing pins and needles, focal seizures and speech loss. When tests returned clear he was set to be discharged but when he mentioned he'd recently received a Covid vaccination he was taken for a CT scan.

Shortly afterwards he was told he had a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma - a rare form of malignant brain tumour. Worse still, he had three-to-five years to live. He underwent an operation which was followed by a year of radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments to control the cancer's spread. However last summer he was told the tumour had returned and this time, was inoperable.

Shaf told BirminghamLive : “It was like a sucker punch when I was given the news that I had brain cancer. I was so scared I’d never get to meet my unborn son. My brain cancer diagnosis only came about because the health team was concerned I was suffering with side effects of the COVID jab. Before that, they seemed to have no desire to scan me. I always knew that it would grow again, but for it to come back just a year later, feels cruel. Finding out the cancer has grown whilst being on chemo was rough.

Shaf in hospital after surgery (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)

Shaf and Mirriam holding Sami and Zidan (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)

"Treatment options are limited. I have one more shot with a different chemo drug but there is no guarantee it will work. Speaking to members of the brain tumour community has led us to set up a page for private treatment in Germany. It costs £100k for a series of personalised vaccines that could add an unknown amount of time to my life.”

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

The desperate family have started a to raise money for Shaf to travel to Germany for private treatment to extend his life and enable them to continue their time together. They have already raised £21,000 of a £100,000 target. Shaf is also working with Brain Tumour Research to push for greater funding into brain cancer research to attempt to give people with the disease a better chance of recovery.

Shaf added: “I am so blessed having Mim and my two boys as a reminder to keep fighting every single day. I’m grateful for the life I have led so far and I hope that I can help raise awareness and be part of the change for future patients and families living with the disease.”

Harry Leach