Boyband singer diagnosed with brain tumour at 32
Tom Parker, a member of boyband The Wanted, has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour – just weeks before he is due to become a father for the second time.
The 32-year-old announced the news to fans yesterday morning. In a message posted on Instagram, Parker and his wife Kelsey Hardwick wrote: “Hey guys, you know that we’ve both been quiet on social media for a few weeks and it’s time to tell you why. There’s no easy way to say this but I’ve sadly been diagnosed with a brain tumour and I’m already undergoing treatment.”
They continued: “We decided, after a lot of thought, that rather than hiding away and trying to keep it a secret, we would do one interview where we could lay out all the details and let everyone know the facts in our own way.
Alongside the message, the couple shared a photo of them enjoying a family day out in Brighton with their 16-month-old daughter, Aurelia. Hardwick, an actor, is currently pregnant with their second child.
The couple opened up about Parker’s diagnosis in a joint interview with OK! magazine. Parker said that the diagnosis came after he suffered a series of unexplained seizures. Following a number of tests, doctors told him he had grade four glioblastoma and that it was “the worst-case scenario”.
“We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way. We don’t want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options. It’s gonna be a tough battle but with everyone’s love and support we are going to beat this. Tom and Kelsey.”
The singer said that he has already begun radiotherapy and chemotherapy in an effort to prolong his life. “I’m still in complete shock, it’s so much to take in,” he said. “I knew something wasn’t right, but I never expected it to be this. You never think this will happen to you.”
Hardwick added: “It still doesn’t feel real. I don’t think Tom will ever process this information. It’s horrendous. Watching your partner go through this is so hard, because how can I tell him to not let it consume him?”
Parker explained that he has asked doctors not to give him a prognosis, because it would not be good for his “state of mind”, and he asked his fans to help him stay positive.
“I need everyone’s love and positivity. I am going to fight this,” he said. “We are already exploring alternative treatments and looking at clinical trials both here and abroad, and our friends have been doing research. There are so many stories of people who were given a bad prognosis and are still here five, 10, even 15 years later. We’re going to fight this all the way.”
According to the NHS, there are nearly 100 different types of brain tumour. It states that a grade four glioblastoma multiforme is a malignant tumour and can sometimes spread to other parts of the brain.