Doctors told an Edinburgh man that if it hadn’t been for the seizure which revealed his incurable brain cancer, he wouldn’t be here to see Christmas.
Jerry Kerrisk, 66, was fit, active, and showing no symptoms when he suddenly collapsed in June 2025 during a seizure. The episode, which happened while visiting his twin sons, Conor and Brendan, 25, led to the discovery of a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain cancer.
Now, the Kerrisk family are helping to raise awareness of the Brain Tumour Research Christmas Appeal, which is calling on the public to fund pioneering research and help change the story for brain tumour patients.
More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with a brain tumour or the long-term effects of their diagnosis, yet research into the disease remains severely underfunded.
Jerry’s wife, Janice, 62, said: “Jerry has always been a kind, practical man who appreciates all things in life. He loves being outdoors, walking our dog Rua, playing golf, and spending time with family and friends. He is an electrician by trade; hardworking, dependable, and good-humoured. His colleagues often describe him as “one of life’s true gentlemen,” and that could not be truer.
“The morning of his collapse, he seemed quiet and a little distracted. As we were heading out shopping, he suddenly said, ‘We need to write our wills and decide where we’ll put our ashes.’ It was such an odd comment that it stopped me in my tracks, but I thought he was worrying about his prostate cancer, which is under control.
“Less than an hour later, we were visiting our sons when he suddenly roared, lifted his arm towards the sky, and collapsed face down on the grass in a violent seizure. By the time the paramedics arrived, Jerry had suffered two further seizures. He was unconscious, bleeding from his mouth and nose. It was absolutely horrific to watch.”
Jerry was taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where he experienced a third seizure. Initial CT scans appeared clear, but when he failed to recover fully, doctors ordered further tests.
An MRI scan revealed a brain tumour, and the following week the family were told it was a 4cm glioblastoma, with a typical prognosis of 12 to 18 months.
“The diagnosis was devastating,” Janice said. “I had prepared myself for bad news, but Jerry hadn’t. He thought the surgery would remove it and he would recover. When the consultant said the words ‘grade 4 glioblastoma’, he was in shock.
“He turned to the doctor and said quietly, ‘I feel like I’m a dead man walking.’ I will never forget those words. I sat taking notes while he stared at the floor in silence. We left the hospital numb.”
Jerry underwent surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible and was discharged within days. Further testing showed it was “unmethylated”, meaning resistant to temozolomide – a key drug for glioblastoma.
He began six weeks of radiotherapy and oral chemotherapy following surgery and is now on maintenance cycles of treatment. Despite ongoing fatigue, he continues to walk Rua twice a day, plays golf, and enjoys fishing.
Now, ‘Team Jerry’ have channelled their energy into supporting Brain Tumour Research by completing the 99 Miles in November challenge. Janice, her son Conor, her sister Anne, nephew Niall, and his partner Gordon walked a combined 500 miles, raising more than £15,700, including Gift Aid, for the charity.
The sum is enough to fund more than five days of research, such as that taking place at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, a game-changing collaboration with the Beatson Cancer Charity. The Centre is focused on developing kinder treatments and finding a cure for glioblastoma, the same type of tumour that Jerry is living with.
Janice said: “What I want most is a breakthrough, for Jerry and for others like him. The prognosis for glioblastoma is so cruelly short.
“I dream of the day when people no longer hear that this diagnosis is terminal. Jerry does not talk much about the future, but every so often he will say something that stops me in my tracks. The other night, after being out with friends for a birthday lunch, he said, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be here next year’. I told him we have to stay positive, because we do. That is how we get through.
“Our lives have changed completely, but our love, our humour, and our faith in one another remain. Jerry is still Jerry – gentle, strong, and quietly brave. I hope we can help make a difference so that, one day, families like ours will have real hope for the future.”
Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer. Yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Janice and her family have shown incredible strength and positivity since Jerry’s diagnosis. Their determination to raise awareness and fund research is truly inspiring.
“We are so grateful to Team Jerry for supporting our 99 Miles in November challenge and Christmas Appeal, and for helping to fund vital research such as the work taking place at our new Scottish Centre of Excellence. Every step they take brings us closer to finding a cure for this devastating disease.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
To support the Brain Tumour Research Christmas Appeal, visit:
www.braintumourresearch.org/christmas
To support Team Jerry’s fundraising efforts, visit:
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