“Brain cancer will not break me”
Just days before his 26th birthday, Scott Hinch’s life took an unexpected turn. He remembers being driven to work, then waking up in hospital with no idea what had happened in between. His parents were there to deliver the devastating news: he had a suspected brain tumour.
“I’d had a 45-minute consecutive seizure and ended up unconscious in the intensive care unit for four days,” Scott tells MedTech Views on World Brain Day. “An initial scan showed that I had a ‘shadow’ on my brain, so I was transferred to a specialist hospital for additional testing.”
This included a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, which provided detailed images of Scott’s brain, and a biopsy of his brain tissue, which allowed doctors to confirm that he had a type of brain cancer called astrocytoma. It was a Grade 2 tumour, which meant that it had spread to nearby brain tissue. “I was told that I had three to five years to live. Of course, this was very hard to take in, but the worst part was seeing how upset my family was.”
“I had a five-hour operation where they removed 70% of the tumour. It was too risky to take it all out because it was wrapped around my brain stem,” explains Scott. “They took out a golf ball-sized part of my brain, inserted a metal plate and stitched it back up. After the surgery, I went through radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which lasted a total of 17 months. The treatment was extremely rough, but I stayed focused and positive for the sake of my family.”
Scott had always been very active and health-conscious, and when his tumour stabilised after the treatment finished, he tried to get on with his life despite some inevitable nerve damage resulting from the surgery. About 15 months later, however, he started having brain fog, mood swings and confusion. A routine MRI scan revealed that the cancer had returned.
“I went through another 10 months of chemotherapy on a double dose so they could zap it faster,” he says. “Afterwards, I had several lovely months. I bought myself a new car and was living my life when a scan showed a new mass. Six years after my diagnosis, I’m now halfway through my third chemotherapy treatment. It’s hammering me, but as they say, this isn’t my first rodeo. My motto is that I’m physically strong but mentally indestructible.”
Scott notes that his drive to raise awareness and funds for charities like Brain Tumour Research is stronger than ever. “Even if it doesn’t benefit me, it can help somebody else, and that makes me happy.” Among other things, he’s participating in a genome sequencing study that aims to help people with astrocytoma get more tailored treatment.
He points out that medical technology has advanced massively due to research. “Over the past six years, I’ve noticed big improvements in tech like MRIs and the devices that deliver intravenous treatments, which makes the process so much easier.” Scott says he’s looking forward to finishing his treatment, getting his energy back and exercising again. “The fatigue is particularly bad, but on my good days, I go out walking with my dog/best friend, Kobe. There’s no giving up.”
