'Devastated' Royal Marines veteran to cycle 200km in memory of 'selfless' mum who died of brain tumour

An emotional veteran is taking on a monumental endurance challenge in honour of his mum who died of a brain tumour.

Colour Sergeant Mark Stephenson, who served in the Royal Marines, is taking on a 200km cycling challenge after his mum Carol Cooper passed away at the age of 53. She died of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer which has a prognosis of just 12 to 18 months.

Colour Sgt Stephenson, of Fareham, said his life changed forever at the age of 32 when he found his mum semi-conscious at home, surrounded by empty painkiller packets. “I’ll never forget finding my mum in that condition, semi-conscious and surrounded by empty painkiller packets because she was in so much pain,” the 58-year-old added.

“I called 999 straight away, but when the paramedics arrived they thought she’d overdosed and didn’t want to take her in because she was still able to mumble that she didn’t want to go. But I knew my mum. She was a former nurse - she would never have intentionally overdosed. I had to trust my instincts and keep pushing until they agreed to take her to hospital.”

“Horrendous headache symptoms”

Mrs Cooper, a psychiatric nurse, was rushed to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham where she was given a CT scan. Doctors found the tumour and the painkillers were used to treat her “horrendous headache symptoms”, Colour Sgt Stephenson said.

Mrs Cooper was transferred to Southampton General Hospital, where a biopsy confirmed she had a glioblastoma, which is inoperable. According to data from Brain Tumour Research, such conditions kill more women under 35 than breast cancer. Despite this, only one per cent of the national spend on cancer research is allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.

Prior to her diagnosis, Mrs Cooper had suffered headaches and visited four different GP’s on a number of occasions to try and figure out what was wrong. She was misdiagnosed with a hormone imbalance. Mrs Cooper received steroids from St Mary’s Hospital in Portsmouth but was unable to start radiotherapy due to a six-week waiting list of over 18,000 people.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and was supported by Macmillan nurses at home until she died six weeks after her diagnosis. “Mum was incredibly strong and selfless,” Colour Sgt Stephenson said. “She was fit and healthy, and always put others before herself. To lose her so quickly, especially after her symptoms had been missed, was devastating.”

More than two decades later, the veteran and nutritionist is determined to make a difference. Supporting Brain Tumour Research, he’s taking part in the 200k in May Your Way challenge. People fundraise while covering the distance by running, walking, swimming, or completing a combination of activities, throughout May.

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“If sharing Mum’s story helps even one family avoid what we went through, it will mean everything,” Colour Sgt Stephenson said. “There’s still time to get involved, please sign up, take on a challenge of your own, and help make a difference for families like mine.”

“Early diagnosis is absolutely vital when it comes to brain tumours—it can make all the difference in giving people a chance. We also urgently need safer, kinder treatments that don’t just prolong life but protect quality of life too. No family should have to go through what we did.”

Brain Tumour Research community fundraising manager Letty Greenfield said: “Mark’s story is both heart-breaking and powerful. His determination to turn personal tragedy into action is truly inspiring. By taking on this 200km challenge, he is helping to shine a light on the devastating impact of brain tumours and the urgent need for increased research funding. We are incredibly grateful for his support, which brings us closer to finding a cure.”

You can donate to Colour Sgt Stephenson’s fundraising by visiting the JustGiving page here. more campaign information can be found on the Brain Tumour Research website here.