‘I thought the Covid vaccine had made me ill - but I had terminal brain cancer & still have hope I’ll survive’

A dad was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer after his health team raised concerns his symptoms were due to the Covid vaccine.

Shaf Ahmed, 39, from Birmingham, was treated in hospital for a suspected stroke in April 2021 after experiencing episodes of pins and needles, focal seizures, and speech loss.

When test results returned clear, Shaf began waiting to be discharged from the hospital – but when he revealed to a nurse that he had had a Covid vaccination just weeks earlier, he was rushed for a CT scan.

But doctors soon found that the vaccination wasn’t the cause – and Shaf was diagnosed with a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma, a rare form of malignant brain tumour.

Shaf was given three to five years to live, and underwent an operation, followed by over a year of radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments to control the cancer's spread.

During this time, his wife Mirriam also gave birth to their second child, a son named Zidan. Sadly, in August 2023, doctors told Shaf that his tumour had returned and was growing – and this time, it was inoperable.

Now, Shaf, his wife, and their two young children have started a fundraising campaign for Shaf to travel overseas for private treatment to extend his life and give the family more precious time together.

“My brain cancer diagnosis only came about because the health team was concerned I was suffering with side effects of the COVID jab,” Shaf said. “Before that, they seemed to have no desire to scan me. It was like a sucker punch when I was given the news that I had brain cancer.

“I was so scared I’d never get to meet my unborn son. I always knew that it would grow again, but for it to come back just a year later feels cruel. Treatment has come with its own side effects such as tinnitus, bouts of headaches, chronic fatigue and sensitivity to light and sound.

“Treatment options are limited. Finding out the cancer has grown whilst being on chemo was rough. I have one more shot with a different chemo drug but there is no guarantee that will work.

“I’ve asked about clinical trials all over the world, but I don’t meet the very specific criteria. Speaking to members of the brain tumour community has led us to set up a GoFundMe page for private treatment in Germany. It costs £100k for a series of personalised vaccines that could add an unknown amount of time to my life.”

The GoFundMe page has received nearly £20,000 since its creation in 2022, but the family hope to reach their ultimate goal of £100,000 to fund Shaf’s treatment. According to the charity Brain Tumour Research, brain tumours kill more adults under 40 than any other cancer – but only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since 2002.

Now, Shaf is working with Brain Tumour Research to push for greater funding into brain cancer research to attempt to give people with the disease a better chance of recovery.

“I am so blessed, having Mim and my two boys as a reminder to keep fighting every single day," Shaf said. "I’m grateful for the life I have led so far and I hope that I can help raise awareness and be part of the change for future patients and families living with the disease.”

“Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Our thoughts are with Shaf and his family and he undergoes further treatment for his brain cancer recurrence.

“It’s desperately sad that Shaf and his family have felt forced to seek alternative treatments for his brain tumour diagnosis. Unfortunately, Shaf’s story isn’t uncommon – just 12% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54% across all cancers. If we are to change this, we must bring the funding for brain tumours in line with other cancers.”