A father-of-two who suffered unexplained migraines for two decades was later diagnosed with a brain tumour – and it triggered a stroke that left him unable to speak.
Stuart Hill, 62, from Swansea, Wales, had always considered himself ‘fit and healthy’ despite suffering migraines over the years.
But in April 2025, the highways inspector left his family fearing the worst after he emerged from the bathroom unable to form a simple sentence or lift his arms.
His wife, Bev Hill, believed he was having a stroke and called an ambulance.
She said: ‘By the time the ambulance arrived his speech had started to come back, but they blue-lighted him to Southmead Hospital in Bristol and gave him a CT scan.
‘Around 3am they came back and said it wasn’t a stroke but they had found a mass, and that was the start of it.’
Doctors discovered a tumour on Stuart’s brain and placed him on steroids while carrying out further tests.
Because there was no evidence of cancer elsewhere in his body, surgeons believed the mass was likely to be a slow-growing tumour that he may have been living with for years.
Stuart Hill, 62, from Swansea, Wales, had always considered himself ‘fit and healthy’ despite suffering migraines over the years. He is pictured with his daughter Megan
Doctors discovered a tumour on Stuart’s brain and placed him on steroids while carrying out further tests
However, they warned surgery carried serious risks, including stroke or even death.
Mrs Hill said: ‘It was the worst possible news. My first thought was how we were going to tell our daughters, Megan and Jodie.’
Three weeks later, on May 9, 2025, Stuart underwent a seven-hour operation to remove the tumour.
Surgeons were able to remove the entire growth, which had not spread into the brain itself but was attached to the membrane and skull. Part of his skull had to be removed and rebuilt using bone cement.
Mrs Hill said: ‘When I went in to see him after surgery, he couldn’t speak. It was so upsetting to see him so poorly.’
At the time, their daughter Megan was sitting university exams.
Mrs Hill said: ‘It affected her terribly. How she got through her exams, I have no idea.’
Initial scans suggested Stuart’s difficulties were caused by normal swelling after surgery.
However, a later MRI scan revealed he had suffered a stroke.
The stroke affected the area of the brain responsible for speech and language, and nearly 10 months later Stuart is still struggling with his speech.
On May 9, 2025, Stuart underwent a seven-hour operation to remove the tumour
Stuart is pictured with his wife, Bev, and daughters, Jodie and Megan
He also experienced a seizure and now takes anti-seizure medication twice a day.
The family are raising money for Brain Tumour Research.
Stuart’s daughter, Megan Hill, 24, will run the Swansea Half Marathon on 7 June while Mrs Hill has organised a fundraising event featuring singers, activities and raffle prizes.
Together, they hope to raise £3,000 to support research into brain tumours.
Mrs Hill said: ‘For us, we have a happy ending. But we know more funding is needed for research, and we want to do our part to make sure other families can have an ending like ours.’
Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: ‘We are so grateful to Stuart, Bev and Megan for sharing their story and for turning such a frightening experience into positive action.
‘While we celebrate Stuart’s recovery, too many families face a very different outcome.
‘Brain tumours remain severely underfunded, and it is only through increased awareness and sustained investment in research that we can improve survival and ultimately find a cure.
‘Supporters like the Hill family are helping us move closer to that goal.’