Iorwerth (‘Yog’) was diagnosed with an apple-sized brain tumour in 2012, after doctors initially mistook his symptoms for a migraine.

"Around mid-summer 2011 I started to get prolonged dull headaches. It wasn’t a major concern at the time, just annoying and inconvenient. I did eventually go to the doctors, but they were convinced I was suffering from migraines and should just take higher doses of painkillers."

By the spring of 2012 Yog’s symptoms had worsened: "My memory was getting progressively worse and I was exceptionally tired. My memory started to affect my speech as I would lose track of what I was saying halfway through sentences and sometimes just stop, then have to be reminded about what we were discussing. As I’m sure you can imagine this was frustrating, but probably more annoying for those having to put up with me!"

Eventually, Yog’s sister, an ex-nurse, booked him for an emergency appointment with a specialist and, after an MRI scan, they found he had a Meningioma tumour that was roughly the size of an apple. Within 10 days of the MRI he had a craniotomy to remove the tumour.

"During this time my daughter was just five, so we were keen to keep as much of this away from her. We called my tumour my brain baby.

"One of the most unexpected problems of my treatment was the obvious impact upon my appearance. Having half my hair shaved off and a huge scar meant my daughter’s friends were quite frightened and couldn’t cope with my new ‘look’. So wearing a hat most of the day became the obvious solution."

Since his recovery Yog has tried to ‘give something back’. In 2022, he joined Team #BrainResearch to run the London Marathon: "The work of Brain Research UK and the practitioners in various specialist neurological hubs around the UK is amazing and saves lives on a daily basis. As I approach 50 and have just marked the tenth anniversary of my craniotomy, I felt it was fitting to try to contribute more to the cause.

"All the money going into further research has the potential to improve our understanding of what is essentially a massively complicated piece of biological machinery. Without the continued research we cannot make further strides forward that will help others be diagnosed earlier and have better treatments available."

As part of our 2022 #BrainResearch team, Yog and our other amazing runners helped to raise more than £600,000 that has already been put to work so that people with a neurological condition can live better, longer.

Running for the #BrainResearch team will give you the chance to take on this incredible personal challenge while being part of a passionate, enthusiastic and inspiring team that raises vital funds for life-changing neurological research. We will be with you every step of the way to give you as much advice and support as possible to make sure your marathon experience is the best it can be.

To find out more and join the team today, click here.