Simon's Great North Run just months after cancer

Simon Lindsley is not your average Great North Runner.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jul 2019, 06:00 BST
Updated 6th Jul 2019, 11:09 BST
Simon Lindsley preparing for another training session.Simon Lindsley preparing for another training session.
Simon Lindsley preparing for another training session.

When he takes on the half-marathon on September 8, he probably won’t win. But how many of the other 57,000 runners overcame brain cancer as recently as April?

Simon, 24, lives with parents Dawn and Paul in Penshaw. Despite never having done serious running in the past, he is running to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, which helped him throughout his ordeal after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He has already raised £960.

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The former Biddick Academy pupil has packed much into his young life. He is an air conditioning and refrigeration engineer. Previously he had been a chef. He learned his culinary skills at Gateshead College, where he won a Young Chef of the Year award.

After his cancer ordeal Simon Lindsley is confident about taking on the Great North Run.After his cancer ordeal Simon Lindsley is confident about taking on the Great North Run.
After his cancer ordeal Simon Lindsley is confident about taking on the Great North Run.

But his world came crashing down in December 2017 when he was given news of the tumour, having originally thought he might be suffering from epilepsy.Simon said: “In December 2017 I had an appointment at my local epilepsy doctor to get my test results. I went down with my mam and dad, and that was when we found out that wasn't epilepsy.”

Seizures became more frequent. Christmas 2017 was ruined by them and surgery was desperately needed.

He continued: “They couldn’t remove the whole thing without potentially affecting other parts of my brain.

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“About two hours after I’d come around, my surgeon came through to check up on me and let me know the procedure had been a huge success – it was such an amazing feeling. She also showed my the pictures from my surgery. Looking at your own brain was, for lack of a better phrase, absolutely mind blowing.

Simon Lindsley: Pounding the streets just months after overcoming a brain tumour.Simon Lindsley: Pounding the streets just months after overcoming a brain tumour.
Simon Lindsley: Pounding the streets just months after overcoming a brain tumour.

“When my two days of monitoring were up, I was released back into the wild and headed back home.”

Then came six weeks of radiotherapy followed by a year of chemotherapy.Simon added: “On my final week of chemo tablets in April, I decided that I wanted to take part in the Great North Run. As soon as I get over that finish line in September, I’ll know can still do anything I put my mind to.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/simonlindsleyteenagecancertrust