Roy Kennard, a mathematician lecturer and former Ofsted school inspector, was 75-years-old when he first started showing symptoms of memory loss in August 2024.
Roy Kennard (Image: Brain Tumour Research)
Just a month later, he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, what is said to be the most aggressive and common form of primary brain tumour in adults.
His daughter, Julia Bullas, turned her grief into action by swimming 2.5km in the sea from Studland to Old Harry's Rocks to raise vital funds for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
Julia said: "When the consultant told us Dad had just three months to live, it was a struggle to take in. We were shocked.
"Dad's first response was 'well we'd better have a party then', but we didn't get time for that as the disease moved so quickly. I kept hoping something could be done and they'd made a mistake."
Roy's memory loss, confusion, disrupted sleep, and periods of detachment, were initially 'brushed off' as being part of ageing.
A referral to Southampton General Hospital for a CT scan, led to the discovery of the tumour.
Roy and daughter Julia (Image: Brain Tumour Research)
As Roy's symptoms progressed with language and memory issues, Julia became very concerned about him and on September 14, urgently took Roy to Southampton Hospital.
Following diagnosis, Roy declined treatment to preserve his quality of life and died at home on December 22, 2024.
Julia said: "The time together was far too short and stressful. We felt on our own for the first few months.
"We felt completely lost, like we were in the wilderness. We were trying to understand what was happening and make difficult decisions on care, while Dad deteriorated faster than we could ever imagined.
"If something feels wrong, trust your instincts and push for answers. It is easy to downplay symptoms of older people, but their symptoms should be taken seriously and not just brushed off as aging."
Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet just one percent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Roy and wife Barbara (Image: Brain Tumour Research)
Julia added that her mother Barbara was also ill, and the loss of her husband was a 'huge shock'.
The pair had been together since they were 19 and Barbara died nine months after her husband passed.
Julia said: "Swimming has given me purpose through the grief and even though some days are harder than others, especially when I miss Mum and Dad the most, I know they would be proud.
"I've raised nearly £3,000 and I am so grateful for every penny that friends and family have donated. Every stroke is for Dad, and for all the families walking this terrifying path. For the kids who deserve a future and for the change we desperately need."