Members of the Mediterranean Rowing Club undertook on an epic 12-hour marathon on Saturday in support of a teenager who was diagnosed with a brain tumour when he was nine.

In 2017, Giles Rodriguez was suffering from blurred vision and severe headaches. After seeking the opinion of several professionals, his parents Lynette and Ruben were told their son had a rare diffuse astrocytoma

Lynette said: “Giles resorted to hitting his head, complaining that he couldn’t see properly. We were out shopping, and I held up two necklaces asking Giles which he preferred. He told me ‘The middle one’ I knew something wasn’t right.”

Days after the shock diagnosis, the family received the devastating news that doctors had found three lesions in his brain. For six weeks Giles underwent more tests at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London, miles away from their home in Gibraltar. 

Lynette said: “My world collapsed. From the moment we found out about the diagnosis, I went on autopilot to learn more about brain tumours. I needed to know everything including what could happen to my son. That’s when I came across Brain Tumour Research and discovered the gross underfunding which this disease has historically received.”

Due to where the tumours were growing, they were deemed inoperable. 

Lynette said: “A consultation with the neurosurgeon from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool gave us hope of a future with Giles. Despite the life-changing risk, we felt well-informed to make the decision for Giles to undergo an operation to remove the tumours. Giles had his surgery in May 2017 at Navarra hospital in Spain where his tumours were removed. There was a sense of relief that the tumours were gone.”

Giles, who is now 17 and studying for his A Levels, has experienced some loss of his peripheral vision but he is “leading a normal life for a 17-year-old boy”.

Lynette, who raises money every year on Wear a Hat Day in support of Brain Tumour Research , raised £1,000 towards finding a cure. Lynette and the Mediterranean Rowing Club of rowers, undertook an Ergo Marathon. Ruben and fellow team member Justin, whose wife Michelle was also diagnosed with a brain tumour, kick started the 12-hour marathon on Wear a Hat Day on Saturday 29th March.

Lynette said: “I will continue to raise awareness and fight to find a cure for this disease which has opened my eyes to a community of young people and families going through something similar. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.”

Louise Aubrey, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: "Funds raised through events like the 12-hour rowing marathon in Gibraltar are vital in the fight against brain tumours. Wear a Hat Day is not only an opportunity to raise awareness but also to provide hope for those affected by these life-changing conditions. We're incredibly grateful to the community for coming together in support of this cause, as every donation brings us one step closer to vital breakthroughs in brain tumour research." 

To donate to Lynette’s fund raising page please click here: Lynette Rodriguez is fundraising for Brain Tumour Research

Top pic:  Front left rower Justin Lavagna, Lynette Rodriguez, Ruben Rodriguez, (Rower on the right) Jake Piri. Middle pic:  Gemma Arias -Vasquez, the Minister for Health, Care and Business. Bottom pic: Giles after surgery.