{"id":30422,"date":"2025-07-09T22:36:17","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T22:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=30422"},"modified":"2025-07-09T22:36:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T22:36:31","slug":"dad-given-fatal-diagnosis-after-debilitating-headaches-at-sons-first-birthday-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=30422","title":{"rendered":"Dad Given Fatal Diagnosis After Debilitating Headaches at Son&#8217;s First Birthday Party"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"loc article-header\">\n<div id=\"people-article-header_1-0\" class=\"comp people-article-header mntl-article-header\">\n<h1><\/h1>\n<h1 class=\"article-heading text-headline-300\">Dad, 42, Gets Fatal Diagnosis After Suffering Headaches at Son&#8217;s First Birthday Party: &#8216;I Just Need More Time&#8217;<\/h1>\n<p class=\"article-subheading text-utility-300\">A new dad is desperately looking for treatments after learning he has stage 4 brain cancer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"loc article-content\">\n<div id=\"article__primary-video-container_1-0\" class=\"comp article__primary-video-container mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"figure-article_1-0\" class=\"comp figure-article mntl-universal-primary-image right-rail__offset text-utility-100 figure-landscape primary-image\">\n<div class=\"primary-image__media\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom: 66.6%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/cowMlzLOmX3MKDkFfBA8XJbb4FA=\/1500x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-1-070925-59faee0eedf44d73b07151fbfa0d312b.jpg\" alt=\"Elliot in hospital after brain surgery. A dad was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after experiencing migraines on a family holiday. Elliot Godfrey\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" \/><noscript><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/cowMlzLOmX3MKDkFfBA8XJbb4FA=\/1500x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-1-070925-59faee0eedf44d73b07151fbfa0d312b.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"Elliot in hospital after brain surgery. A dad was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after experiencing migraines on a family holiday. Elliot Godfrey\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\"><br \/>\n<\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption id=\"primary-image__figcap_1-0\" class=\"comp primary-image__figcap mntl-figure-caption figure-article-caption\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-text\">(Left:) Elliot Godfrey with wife Jess and son Aein; (Right:) After brain surgery.<\/span> <span class=\"figure-article-caption-owner\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-owner\">Credit :<\/span><\/span>SWNS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"article-content_1-0\" class=\"comp article-content mntl-block\">\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-page_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-page mntl-block structured-content\" data-sc-sticky-offset=\"90\" data-sc-ad-label-height=\"24\" data-sc-ad-track-spacing=\"100\" data-sc-min-track-height=\"250\" data-sc-max-track-height=\"600\" data-sc-breakpoint=\"50em\" data-sc-load-immediate=\"4\" data-sc-content-positions=\"[1, 1250, 1550, 1950, 2350, 2750, 3150, 3550, 3950]\" data-bind-scroll-on-start=\"true\">\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">A father learned he had a <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/glen-powell-reveals-friends-stage-4-brain-cancer-diagnosis-11724733\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">fatal brain tumor<\/a> after experiencing debilitating <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/woman-shares-life-with-intractable-migraine-exclusive-8663687\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">migraines<\/a> at his son\u2019s first birthday party \u2014 and now he says he hopes he can see his son make it to age two.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_3-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Elliot Godfrey began experiencing headaches during a family trip to Mexico in March, but he chalked it up to the stress and sleeplessness of being a new father, as he and his wife, Jess, had welcomed their son, Aein, a year before. It was at the toddler\u2019s first birthday party where Godfrey, who lives in the English village of Waddesdon, struggled with headaches so severe that his friends urged him to seek medical care, per a report in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/health\/article-14888545\/New-dad-dying-brain-cancer-days-son-birthday-glioblastoma.html\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\"><em>Daily Mail.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_4-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_5-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image--no-theme no-theme figure-portrait figure-high-res\">\n<div class=\"figure-media\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom: 133.3%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"mntl-sc-block-image_1-0\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/32KUaz7bP4TeNh071KGoBizBb4w=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(561x0:563x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-4-070925-1e4a6f14802e432483332b6ae27b7bc4.jpg\" alt=\"Elliot in hospital after brain surgery. A dad was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after experiencing migraines on a family holiday. Elliot Godfrey\" width=\"1125\" height=\"1500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/32KUaz7bP4TeNh071KGoBizBb4w=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(561x0:563x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-4-070925-1e4a6f14802e432483332b6ae27b7bc4.jpg 4000w\" data-sizes=\"4000px\" data-expand=\"300\" data-tracking-container=\"true\" data-img-lightbox=\"true\" data-click-tracked=\"true\" \/><noscript><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/32KUaz7bP4TeNh071KGoBizBb4w=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(561x0:563x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-4-070925-1e4a6f14802e432483332b6ae27b7bc4.jpg\" width=\"1125\" height=\"1500\" alt=\"Elliot in hospital after brain surgery. A dad was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after experiencing migraines on a family holiday. Elliot Godfrey\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\"><br \/>\n<\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-figure-caption text-utility-100 figure-article-caption\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-text\">Elliot Godfrey with wife Jess.<\/span>SWNS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_6-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">That\u2019s where scans diagnosed the 42-year-old dad with stage 4 glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor. As the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/glioblastoma\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20569077#:~:text=It%20can%20form%20in%20the,can%20happen%20at%20any%20age.\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Mayo Clinic<\/a> explains, \u201cThere&#8217;s no cure for <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/sports\/dangerous-chemicals-found-in-turf-at-old-phillies-stadium-where-6-former-players-developed-b\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">glioblastoma<\/a>. Treatments might slow cancer growth and reduce symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_7-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_8-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Godfrey was offered surgery, but as he said, doctors \u201cgave me a 20 percent chance that I could die from surgery. Sitting there with my family that was obviously pretty devastating and quite scary.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_9-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_10-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-spotlight--mid-circ mntl-sc-block-spotlight--mid-circ mntl-block\">\n<h2 id=\"midcirc__heading_1-0\" class=\"comp midcirc__heading mntl-text-block\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div id=\"midcirc__card-list_1-0\" class=\"comp midcirc__card-list mntl-block\">\n<div id=\"midcirc-card__title_1-0\" class=\"comp midcirc-card__title mntl-text-block\">Why Michael Bolton Wasn&#8217;t Given a Prognosis for Glioblastoma, His &#8216;Aggressive&#8217; Brain Cancer Diagnosis (Exclusive)<\/div>\n<div id=\"midcirc-card__image-wrapper_1-0\" class=\"comp midcirc-card__image-wrapper mntl-block\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom: 66.6%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/cdg0v2dBkjsJom71IO9LdjbYDN4=\/300x200\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()\/PEOPLE_MichaelBolton_5-777efc8356e64586a0146366d3cd5a1f.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Bolton and his family photographed at home in Westport, CT on April 9, 2025.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><noscript><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/cdg0v2dBkjsJom71IO9LdjbYDN4=\/300x200\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()\/PEOPLE_MichaelBolton_5-777efc8356e64586a0146366d3cd5a1f.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" alt=\"Michael Bolton and his family photographed at home in Westport, CT on April 9, 2025.\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\"><br \/>\n<\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"midcirc-card__title_2-0\" class=\"comp midcirc-card__title mntl-text-block\">Sheinelle Jones Was &#8216;So Strong&#8217; After Late Husband&#8217;s Brain Cancer Diagnosis: &#8216;Found the Grace in the Grief&#8217;<\/div>\n<div id=\"midcirc-card__image-wrapper_2-0\" class=\"comp midcirc-card__image-wrapper mntl-block\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom: 66.6%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/yo01niv7WMiq4ORIuH0MW35faYE=\/300x200\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()\/sheinelle-jones-husband-uche-ojeh-lincoln-center-011625-2ffa7d1938ed4ccbad9beb77e3b6c098.jpg\" alt=\"Sheinelle Jones and Uche Ojeh enjoy a date night out together at Lincoln Center in June 2022 in New York City.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><noscript><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/yo01niv7WMiq4ORIuH0MW35faYE=\/300x200\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()\/sheinelle-jones-husband-uche-ojeh-lincoln-center-011625-2ffa7d1938ed4ccbad9beb77e3b6c098.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" alt=\"Sheinelle Jones and Uche Ojeh enjoy a date night out together at Lincoln Center in June 2022 in New York City.\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\"><br \/>\n<\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_11-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_12-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">When the former professional golfer, who now owns a golf club called Pitch, looked up his cancer online, \u201cThe first thing I saw was a picture of <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tag\/arnold-schwarzenegger\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Arnold Schwarzenegger<\/a> as <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/movies\/arnold-schwarzenegger-shares-first-look-new-terminator-movie\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\"><em>Terminator<\/em><\/a>. They literally called it the \u2018Terminator cancer&#8217; \u2014 the survival rates and the reality of living with this hit really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_13-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_14-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Most people with glioblastoma live 12 to 18 months after their diagnosis, and the 5-year-survival rate is a bleak 5%, the <a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/17032-glioblastoma\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Cleveland Clinic<\/a> says.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_15-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_16-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cWhen I got home, my son Aein&#8217;s one-year-old birthday balloon was still there,\u201d he said. \u201cI sat there, and I thought &#8220;Will I get to see 2? Will I get to see 4?\u2019 I just want to be here for as long as possible for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_18-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image--no-theme no-theme figure-portrait figure-high-res\">\n<div class=\"figure-media\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom: 133.3%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"mntl-sc-block-image_2-0\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/b6RI0JTmdrUxjXTQI1vQMtJw0OM=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(561x0:563x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-5-070925-d35bf267e79b403ca33177695c45150b.jpg\" alt=\"Elliot in hospital after brain surgery. A dad was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after experiencing migraines on a family holiday. Elliot Godfrey\" width=\"1125\" height=\"1500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/b6RI0JTmdrUxjXTQI1vQMtJw0OM=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(561x0:563x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-5-070925-d35bf267e79b403ca33177695c45150b.jpg 4000w\" data-sizes=\"4000px\" data-expand=\"300\" data-tracking-container=\"true\" data-img-lightbox=\"true\" data-click-tracked=\"true\" \/><noscript><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/b6RI0JTmdrUxjXTQI1vQMtJw0OM=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(561x0:563x2)\/dad-diagnosed-incurable-brain-tumor-5-070925-d35bf267e79b403ca33177695c45150b.jpg\" width=\"1125\" height=\"1500\" alt=\"Elliot in hospital after brain surgery. A dad was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after experiencing migraines on a family holiday. Elliot Godfrey\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 1em auto;\"><br \/>\n<\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_2-0\" class=\"comp mntl-figure-caption text-utility-100 figure-article-caption\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-text\">Elliot Godfrey undergoes treatment for brain cancer.<\/span>SWNS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_19-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Godfrey did undergo brain surgery, which he said removed about 95% of the tumor, and is treating the rest with chemo and radiation. As he told the outlet, \u201cI&#8217;m doing absolutely everything I can to increase my chances of long-term survival.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_20-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_21-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">That includes raising funds for experimental treatment, like emerging <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/immunotherapy-breakthrough-could-mean-fewer-cancer-patients-need-chemo-11724110\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">immunotherapies<\/a> and other treatments, via a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/help-elliot-fight-brain-cancer\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">GoFundMe<\/a>, where he explains, \u201cI just need time.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_22-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_23-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cOne of the hardest things is you&#8217;re processing it yourself and also seeing all the people that you love going through trauma. You kind of feel guilty, like you&#8217;ve let everybody down,\u201d Godfrey explained. \u201cI&#8217;m incredibly lucky to have my network around me. I didn&#8217;t think I could love my wife Jess any more but how much she&#8217;s been there for me every single day is overwhelming. She was already the love of my life, but she&#8217;s gone up a tier or two.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_24-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_25-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"><strong>Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/forms.dotdashmeredith.com\/people-news-inline\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">PEOPLE&#8217;s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dad, 42, Gets Fatal Diagnosis After Suffering Headaches at Son&#8217;s First Birthday Party: &#8216;I Just Need More Time&#8217; A new dad is desperately looking for treatments after learning he has &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30422"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30425,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30422\/revisions\/30425"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}