Alex Costa-Veiga, 16, before surgery to fit shunt. (Brain Tumour Research via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp=6I r@DE2\'6:82[ `e[ 925 DA6?E >@C6 E92? 2 J62C 32EE=:?8 F?6IA=2:?65 D:4<?6DD :? E96 >@C?:?8 367@C6 96 2=D@ 3682? DF776C:?8 7C@> 5@F3=6 G:D:@?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmu@==@H:?8 2? 6J6 E6DE[ 96 H2D C676CC65 7@C 2? 6>6C86?4J D42? 2?5 5:28?@D65 H:E9 >65F==@3=2DE@>2[ 2 C2C6 2?5 72DE\8C@H:?8 7@C> @7 3C2:? 42?46C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw:D 72>:=J D2J E96 5:28?@D:D 42>6 @?=J 27E6C >@?E9D @7 >65:42= 2AA@:?E>6?ED[ 3=@@5 E6DED 2?5 F=EC2D@F?5D 72:=65 E@ :56?E:7J E96 42FD6 @7 9:D H@CD6?:?8 4@?5:E:@?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw:D >@C?:?8 G@>:E:?8 H2D 7:CDE 5:D>:DD65 2D 2?I:6EJ[ H96? :? 724E :E H2D 2 DJ>AE@> @7 2 3C2:? EF>@C]k^Am
Alex Costa-Veiga, 16, recovering from surgery. (Brain Tumour Research via SWNS)
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|@> |6=2?:6 r@DE2\'6:82[ @7 $9C6HD3FCJ[ $9C@AD9:C6[ D2:5i Qu@C @G6C 2 J62C[ E96J H6C6 =@@<:?8 :?E@ 7@@5 :?E@=6C2?46D 2?5 DE@>249 :DDF6D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ}@E9:?8 A@:?E65 E@ 2?JE9:?8 D6C:@FD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQxE H2D?VE F?E:= p=6I >6?E:@?65 5@F3=6 G:D:@? 2?5 H6 H6?E E@ E96 @AE:4:2? E92E 6G6CJE9:?8 492?865]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmu@==@H:?8 E96 2AA@:?E>6?E[ p=6I H2D FC86?E=J C676CC65 7@C 2 r% D42? 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D2E9]?9D]F<^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm!C:?46DD #@J2= w@DA:E2=k^2m :? %6=7@C5[ H96C6 5@4E@CD 7@F?5 E96 EF>@C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 H2D :>>65:2E6=J EC2?D76CC65 3J 2>3F=2?46 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3H4]?9D]F<^3:C>:?892>\49:=5C6?D\9@DA:E2=^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmq:C>:?892> r9:=5C6?VD w@DA:E2=k^2m 7@C DA64:2=:DE EC62E>6?E]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|6=2?:6 D2:5i QpD D@@? 2D E96 4@?DF=E2?E D2:5 E96 H@C5 V>2DDV[ x <?6H :E H2D?VE 8@@5]k^Am
Alex Costa-Veiga, 16, on an eight week rehabilitation placement at The Childrens Trust. (Brain Tumour Research via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ(6 925 E@ H2:E 7@C 2 5@4E@C E@ 244@>A2?J p=6I :? E96 2>3F=2?46 H96? 96 H2D EC2?D76CC65 E@ q:C>:?892>]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%92EVD H96? x <?6H :E H2D D6C:@FD]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qms@4E@CD 7:CDE 42CC:65 @FE 6>6C86?4J DFC86CJ E@ :?D6CE 2 D9F?E 2?5 C6=:6G6 AC6DDFC6 @? 9:D 3C2:? 367@C6 p=6I F?56CH6?E 2 4@>A=6I `_\9@FC @A6C2E:@? E@ C6>@G6 E96 EF>@C 7C@> 9:D 46C636==F>]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqJ E96 E:>6 DFC86@?D @A6C2E65[ E96 42?46C 925 2=C625J DE2CE65 E@ DAC625]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp=6I E96? 72465 >@?E9D @7 8CF6=:?8 EC62E>6?E[ :?4=F5:?8 C25:@E96C2AJ[ 496>@E96C2AJ 2?5 :?E6?D:G6 C6923:=:E2E:@?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 EC62E>6?E =67E 9:> DF776C:?8 >2;@C D:56 67764ED[ :?4=F5:?8 A@DE6C:@C 7@DD2 DJ?5C@>6[ DA6649 AC@3=6>D[ D6G6C6 72E:8F6 2?5 H62<?6DD 5@H? E96 =67E D:56 @7 9:D 3@5J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmpE @?6 A@:?E[ 96 H2D F?23=6 E@ E2=< @C H2=< 2?5 C6=:65 @? 2 H966=492:C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 =2E6C F?56CH6?E DA64:2=:DE C6923:=:E2E:@? 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9649:=5C6?DECFDE]@C8]F<^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm%96 r9:=5C6?VD %CFDEk^2m :? $FCC6J 2?5 92D 8C25F2==J C682:?65 D@>6 >@3:=:EJ[ ?@H 23=6 E@ H2=< D9@CE 5:DE2?46D H:E9 E96 96=A @7 2 7C2>6]k^Am
Alex Costa-Veiga, 16, having feeding tube fitted. (Brain Tumour Research via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp=6I 2=D@ C6BF:C65 EC62E>6?E 7@C G:D:@? AC@3=6>D 2?5 F?56CH6?E 4@CC64E:G6 6J6 DFC86CJ 27E6C :?:E:2==J H62C:?8 2 AC:D> =6?D E@ 96=A >2?286 9:D 5@F3=6 G:D:@?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw:D 42?46C EC62E>6?E 255:E:@?2==J 52>2865 9:D A:EF:E2CJ 8=2?5[ 27764E:?8 9:D 8C@HE9 9@C>@?6D 2?5 =62G:?8 9:> ?665:?8 9@C>@?6 E96C2AJ]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 5:28?@D:D :? a_ab 42>6 D9@CE=J 27E6C p=6I[ E96? `c[ 925 4@>A=6E65 E96 7:CDE E6C> @7 *62C `_[ 7@C4:?8 9:> E@ DA6?5 E96 C6DE @7 E96 24256>:4 J62C 2H2J 7C@> D49@@= H9:=6 96 F?56CH6?E EC62E>6?E]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtG6?EF2==J C6EFC?:?8 E@ 65F42E:@? @? 2 C65F465 E:>6E23=6 3642FD6 @7 6I92FDE:@? 2?5 @?8@:?8 C6923:=:E2E:@?[ p=6I 564:565 E@ C6A62E *62C `_ 2?5 4FE 5@H? E96 ?F>36C @7 vr$t DF3;64ED 96 H@F=5 DEF5J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm}@H[ 56DA:E6 E96 492==6?86D 96 4@?E:?F6D E@ 7246[ E96 `e\J62C\@=5 :D D:EE:?8 vr$tD :? >2E9[ t?8=:D9 {2?8F286[ 3:@=@8J[ 86@8C2A9J 2?5 C6=:8:@FD DEF5:6D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 9@A6D E@ 8@ @? E@ DEF5J p\=6G6= 3:@=@8J[ 86@8C2A9J 2?5 4@>AFE6C DEF5:6D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmpD<65 23@FE 9:D 7FEFC6 2>3:E:@?D[ p=6I D2:5i Qx H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 36 2 >2C:?6 3:@=@8:DE @C H@C< H:E9 2?:>2=D]Qk^Am
Alex Costa-Veiga, 16, at the end of his treatment in July 2024. (Brain Tumour Research via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|6=2?:6 D2:5i Qp=6I 92D H@C<65 D@ 92C5 2?5 H6 2C6 :?4C65:3=J AC@F5 @7 2== 96 92D 249:6G65]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQxEVD 366? 492==6?8:?8 32=2?4:?8 D49@@= H@C< H:E9 9:D 4@?E:?F65 C6923:=:E2E:@? 3FE 96 92D >256 72?E2DE:4 AC@8C6DD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQxEVD 366? 2 5:77:4F=E ;@FC?6J H:E9 2 76H 3F>AD :? E96 C@25[ 3FE p=6I 92D DE2J65 A@D:E:G6 2?5 56E6C>:?65 E@ 249:6G6[ 36EE6C 52JD H:== 4@>6]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 72>:=J 2C6 ?@H 324<:?8 42==D 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3C2:?EF>@FCC6D62C49]@C8^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmqC2:? %F>@FC #6D62C49k^2m 7@C :?4C62D65 7F?5:?8 :?E@ 3C2:? EF>@C EC62E>6?E 2?5 C6D62C49]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|6=2?:6 D2:5i Q!6@A=6 E9:?< @?46 E96 EC62E>6?E 6?5D :EVD @G6C[ 3FE :EVD ?@E] %96C6VD DE:== 2 =@?8 C@25 29625]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ(6VG6 >6E 49:=5C6? @? E92E H2C5 H9@ 2C6 ?@ =@?86C 96C6] (6 4@F?E @FC 3=6DD:?8D 6G6CJ 52J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ(6 DE:== ?665 >@C6 2?DH6CD 2?5 >@C6 C6D62C49]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%96C6 2C6 @?=J E9C66 @AE:@?D — DFC86CJ[ C25:@E96C2AJ 2?5 496>@E96C2AJ — 2?5 E96J 2C6 72C E@@ 92CD9 7@C 49:=5C6?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ~E96C 4@F?EC:6D 2C6 56G6=@A:?8 <:?56C EC62E>6?ED 2?5 E96 &z >FDE 42E49 FA]Qk^Am
