Help Bryan Fight Brain Cancer and Support His Future

Help My Best Mate Bryan Spend His Time with His Family.

I never thought I’d be writing something like this, but here I am. My best mate, Bryan, is facing a battle none of us ever saw coming—he’s been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. And now, he needs our help.

I’ve known Bryan since we were 13, and in all that time, he’s always been the one you could count on. He’s the guy who lifts you up, no matter what. But now, at just 42, he’s facing something unimaginable.

In 2021, things were going great for Bryan. He had just become a first-time dad to his beautiful little girl, Antonia, and his real estate business in Canberra was thriving. Then everything changed. He started having seizures and was rushed to the hospital. The scans showed a 5cm tumour in his brain—it floored all of us.

I’ll never forget the night he messaged me, sending a photo of the report from his doctor. It was full of medical jargon I didn’t understand. I spent half the night googling all the terms, trying to make sense of it. The more I read, the worse it looked. None of it was good news.

Determined to fight, Bryan underwent brain surgery while he was awake. The hope was to remove as much of the tumour as possible, but once the surgeons saw how deeply it had spread through critical areas of his brain—affecting speech, comprehension, and mobility—they had to stop. Removing it would have left Bryan severely impaired, or worse. The doctors confirmed what we all feared—Bryan’s tumour was inoperable.

Since then, Bryan’s had more than 30 rounds of radiation and multiple rounds of chemo. But here’s the hard truth: he can’t stay on chemo forever. Eventually, this cancer will win, and his life will be cut short. He won’t get to see his daughter grow up. His time is limited, and we don’t know how many good years he has left.

As if that wasn’t enough, after a particularly bad seizure, Bryan fell and woke up in the hospital to discover he now needs a pacemaker. It’s been one hit after another for him. Can this guy catch a break?

The financial toll has been brutal. Unable to work, Bryan’s had to sell his business and most of his belongings just to stay afloat. He’s living week to week on a small disability pension, constantly worried about how he’ll provide for his family. It breaks my heart to see him suffer like this.

I wish I could take all this stress away from him, but I can’t. So instead, I’m doing the only thing I can—I’m running marathons. I’ve committed to running several this year—starting with the Brisbane Half Marathon in June, then the Gold Coast Marathon in July, and the Melbourne Marathon in October. I’ll be running with “Captain Risky” on my bib—a nickname Bryan earned from the Captain Risky Budget Direct TV commercials, which perfectly captures his “grip it and rip it” attitude to life. He’s always been the guy who embraces every moment, living life to the fullest, no matter what.

I’ll put myself through a different kind of pain, hoping to raise awareness and funds for Bryan. Every dollar raised will go straight to him and his family to help cover living expenses, medical bills, and give them some peace of mind.

I just want my best mate to be able to spend the time he has left with his daughter without worrying about money. He’s got enough to deal with. If you can spare anything, please know that it’ll make a real difference. Big or small, every bit helps. And if you can’t donate, that’s okay—just sharing this page helps spread the word.

Bryan’s fighting the hardest battle of his life, but he doesn’t have to do it alone.

Thank you for reading this and for your support.

Jeremy