‘I fell out of bed and was diagnosed with a brain tumour’ - Man, 27, battling incurable cancer

Matt Plummer pictured with his wife Amy. The couple married in June and have since been hit with a brain tumour bombshell Picture: Matt Plummer (Image: Matt Plummer)

Matt Plummer, of Constable Drive, Bradwell, fell out of bed at 4am at the end of last year and was taken to hospital for checks.

At the time the service engineer appeared to be in a very deep sleep, his breathing ragged - but he was in fact fitting.

A series of scans followed and within 24 hours he was told there was a mass in his brain.

After a referral to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, he underwent surgery to remove the growth in January.

Matt Plummer pictured with his wife Amy. The couple have put their plans for a family on hold while Matt undergoes cancer treatment Picture: Matt Plummer (Image: Matt Plummer)

Having been told medics had managed to remove it all, Mr Plummer thought the worst was over.

But tests revealed it was a rare anaplastic astrocytoma, and a Grade 3 meaning it was more likely to spread and come back.

“My cancer is treatable but cannot be cured. It will come back,” he said.

“It is so aggressive, they say it will be back within three to five years. So I will probably have to go through all this again.

Matt and Amy Plummer have raised over £2,000 for the Brain Tumour Charity with a cake sale following his diagnosis Picture: Matt Plummer (Image: Matt Plummer)

“At the end of the day it is part of my life, but it is second - I am first.

“I live with it but I fight it all the same time.

“I am quite stubborn. I think the other family members are taking it a lot harder, but I try to stay positive and strong.”

Mr Plummer is now half way through a 33 day course of radiotherapy, which will be followed by 14 months of chemotherapy.

Mayor Mark Coleman, Amy and Plummer and Barry ColemanPicture: Mary Coleman (Image: Archant)

However, were it not for the seizure the tumour would still be growing and he is keen to raise awareness and money for the Brain Tumour Charity and its work supporting sufferers and their families.

Money for research was also important as it worked to towards better outcomes and hopefully a screening programme which would be able to help people before it was too late.

Meanwhile the worst aspect of his illness was not being able to drive, he said.

“The worst bit about it all is the DVLA take your driving licence away. The earliest I can get it back is July 2022. That is the most disheartening thing about it. Your freedom goes down the pan.”

Treatment means Mr Plummer and wife Amy’s plans to start a family have been put on hold.

A fundraising cake sale held at the home of his father-in-law Carl Annison raised over £2,000 and was attended by some 100 people including town mayor Mary Coleman.