Bereaved woman who cared for brain cancer dad from Chichester swims for a cure

Rebecca Dandridge, 48, from Harrow, is taking part in Swim Serpentine in Hyde Park this Saturday (14 September) to raise money for the charity, Brain Tumour Research.

Her inspiration comes after her father, 82-year-old Michael Dandridge who lived in Sussex near Chichester, died of an inoperable glioblastoma (GBM) in September 2023 following a stroke.

At the time, Rebecca was running art sessions for adults with learning difficulties and looking after her family including two teenage boys and husband.

When doctors told the family Michael was terminal, Rebecca quit her job and became his full-time carer.

Rebecca said: “Dad was very accepting of his prognosis, but I burst into tears when the doctors said there was nothing they could do. From that moment I gave up my whole life and vowed to look after him.

“I moved out of my family home temporarily and saw my husband every weekend when he came to my dad’s house which was a four-hour round trip. I am also profoundly deaf and caring round the clock was very tough even with support from a local hospice. I had hearing aids in and gave my dad a button to press – which he rarely used - linked to a device that vibrated to get my attention.”

Michael had also been experiencing problems with his memory and had severe headaches. He died just two months later in November last year. In 2016, he survived kidney cancer.

Rebecca, who used to swim competitively when she was younger, suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and took to swimming once again as an adult to manage her own mental health.

She has since found a new job as an art tutor and teaching assistant for children with learning difficulties which she will start later this month.

She said: “Dad would watch me swimming in competitions when I was younger and during the two-and-a-half months I cared for him at the end of his life, I got back in the water, and it felt right to do something like this in his memory.”

Rebecca has so far raised more than £1,400 for the charity, adding: “I’ve lived with my deafness all my life, my mum taught me how to speak. When I’m in the water I can’t hear anything, but I can turn my sole focus to swimming which feels wonderful.

“Dad would be proud. He often watched me swim when I was younger, and this felt like a fitting tribute to him whilst raising awareness of this devastating disease.

“For me, it’s so important to support a charity such as Brain Tumour Research because it receives such little funding compared to other cancers. That’s a disgrace. Doctors told us there is no cure for brain cancer. If there was adequate investment into research funding, then there is a better chance of keeping families together.”

Just 12% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54% across all cancers, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Michael’s story is a reminder that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. One in three people knows someone affected by a brain tumour and we are hearing too many stories of people losing loved ones to the disease. Rebecca is incredibly kind in taking part in her swimming challenge which will help us closer to funding kinder treatments and eventually a cure for all types of brain tumours.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.

To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Rebecca’s swim, please visit: www.justgiving.com/page/rebecca-walker-1709896520275