Luke’s Story
In June 2017 Luke Millard's life was changed forever. At the age of only 20, a benign tumour was found to be embedded deep in his brain. This was sitting on the optic nerve and blocking a drainage channel . This tumour causes a build up of cerebral fluids which is extremely dangerous and can become life threatening very quickly . A year after finding the tumour and having biopsies that could have rendered him blind and without memory, he underwent a life saving operation to insert the first Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt which would aid in the safe draining of fluid from his brain down a cathetar into his stomach. The journey of health scares is ongoing and Luke has come very close to losing his life on several occasions. For example, the shunt will malfunction causing him to slip into a coma.
Luke is a ridiculously talented man, and his illness is stripping away so many of the things that he loves, enjoys and excels at. Not only is he a brilliant accountant in the middle of taking his exams, he is also an accomplished award winning singer, an excellent self taught musician and musical director of Dynamics Rock and Pop choir based in the West Midlands.
Above all this he is a family man, a loving partner to his fiancée Jo and the most supportive step father to Alice.
As previously mentioned, the health challenges are ongoing and all of the ins and outs would take too long to explain but to summarise to date he has had:
Biopsy of the tumour.
Many MRI and CT scans when he has shunt failures.
Numerous ambulance blue light journeys to Russell's Hall Hospital/ QE Birmingham.
He has double vision and will need corrective eye surgery as the tumour sits on the optic nerve.
EEG monitors attached to his head to check for seizures.
Brain operations to fit or remove the shunts leaving huge scars and dents in his skull.
Meningitis and infection in the shunt.
He is up to 5 shunts - the first one lasted 2 years - the rest have all been in the last 8 months - they are supposed to last between 10-15 years.
Counselling to combat the depression that exists after such trauma.
Chronic Migraines.
He is currently in Birmingham QE having had his 5th failed shunt removed with the prospect of a programmable VP shunt fitted. All this has hit him really hard and has been diagnosed with PTSD.
The money raised will go towards the costs of PTSD counselling and private brain tumour consultations.
Please help us raise as much as possible to get Luke the help he needs to live a long and happy life, with Joanna , Alice and his loving family . They all deserve it. Thank you ❤️