Callum Stone, a 15-year-old athletic teenager from Chelmsford, Essex, had his life drastically altered when a seemingly ordinary headache revealed a devastating brain tumor diagnosis. Known for being “very into his sport,” Callum’s world was turned upside down in January when his school contacted his parents due to a persistent headache.
When his stepfather, Mark Ferris, arrived to pick him up, Callum struggled to speak properly, telling Mark “he loved him but wasn’t getting his words out quite right.” Concerned, Mark rushed him to the hospital, where Callum suffered three seizures on the way. After a week-long hospital stay and various tests, doctors initially suspected a viral infection, prescribing anti-seizure medication.
However, further investigation at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London led to a shocking diagnosis: a large, inoperable brain tumor, identified as a diffuse grade four glioma. The news shattered Callum’s family, who struggled to come to terms with the sudden change in their lives. Callum’s mother, Sarah Ferris, described the experience as “shattering,” adding that explaining the situation to Callum’s younger brother was particularly challenging.
Despite the grim diagnosis, Callum showed remarkable strength and concern for his family, smiling and hugging them upon learning the news. He has since undergone six weeks of daily radiotherapy at University College Hospital in London. Callum shared his journey, offering words of wisdom: “Eating well and exercising makes you feel a lot better… go out for walks with your family and keep telling lots of jokes.”
To support Callum’s treatment, his family launched a GoFundMe campaign, raising £116,435 ($154,587) for alternative cancer treatments abroad, including exploring options in Germany and clinical trials in San Francisco. As Callum looks forward to an upcoming MRI on May 5 to assess the tumor’s progress, his family remains hopeful, searching for any possible treatment options.