A UK father of four became convinced his loyal wife of three years was cheating on him — but it turns out his paranoia was a symptom of a deadly brain tumor.
Andy Hampton, 54, not only became distant from his wife, Gemma, 37, he also showed an uncharacteristic lack of interest in his family and became forgetful.
“Shortly after having Henley, I noticed huge changes in Andy’s personality,” Gemma told SWNS about their son, who was born in May 2022.
“I would ask Andy to change Henley’s [diaper], to which he would say he had a headache and I had to do it,” she continued.
At first, Gemma believed her husband was struggling to adjust to the new dynamics of their growing family, but the behavior continued to worsen.
Gemma said it felt like her husband wasn’t even “listening” to her anymore.
“Because I kept pointing out things that he was doing wrong, his paranoia caused him to believe things that weren’t true,” she explained.
“He kept saying he knew it was all in his head, but he couldn’t stop the thoughts.
By May 2023, Andy was “all over the place,” according to Gemma, and he was becoming confused more easily.
The “final straw” came when he couldn’t figure out how to put the duvet cover back on the bed, which set off alarm bells in Gemma’s head.
She took him to a doctor, who diagnosed Andy with glioblastoma, a cancerous and aggressive brain tumor, per the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
Glioblastomas can cause a shift in behavior, according to the ABTA, spurring psychiatric symptoms such as delusion and confusion, which could explain Andy’s actions.
On May 31, Andy underwent surgery to remove cancerous tissue and began six weeks of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
“Instantly after the operation Andy’s mood changed, and his personality resembled the old Andy,” Gemma told SWNS.
“We felt better knowing that there was something to blame for Andy’s behavior and that it wasn’t our marriage breaking down.”
Now, the couple is focused on battling the cancer and getting Andy to feel better.
As he undergoes a second round of chemotherapy, Andy has signed up for a sponsored walk to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, a UK charity that aims to find a cure for brain tumors.
Gemma said that Andy has always been “an active person,” but his treatment leaves him extremely tired, and the walk may become a challenge.
Mel Tiley, the community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, noted that Andy’s story is a “stark reminder” of the “indiscriminate nature of brain tumors,” as the disease can affect anyone at any time.
“They kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002,” Tiley told SWNS.
“We’re determined to change this, but it’s only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.”
New York Post
