THE brain tumour symptoms of a top show horse producer were mistaken for grief after his British Olympic showjumper friend died of cancer.

Rory Gilsenan, 50, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease after his family refused to accept the initial diagnosis before taking him to A&E.

Following a second operation last year, Mr Gilsenan, is now facing an extended period of rehabilitation to regain his mobility because of a stroke before Christmas last year.

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His wife Vanessa said: “We first realised something was wrong when Rory started losing his speech and appeared confused. The doctor said he was stressed and grieving after losing his friend Tim Stockdale to stomach cancer in November 2018.

Oxford Mail:

“But we realised it was more than that and refused to let it go. To be told that he had a brain tumour was earth shattering.”

After the diagnosis which he received just weeks after celebrating his first Working Hunter title at the Horse of the Year Show in October 2018, Mr Gilsenan - who trains in Godington near Bicester - had his first operation in December 2018 and was back in the saddle just five weeks later.

His wife added: “He managed to carry on riding throughout radiotherapy and chemotherapy and the tumour was stable for a while but, sadly, we were later told that it was growing again and Rory underwent further surgery in September.”

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Within days of being discharged from hospital, Mr Gilsenan, who has four children, was able to attend a pre-Horse of the Year Show event at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre, but soon after that he had problems with speech and his peripheral vision and had a stroke on December 20.

He was back in hospital for a month where he had physiotherapy and was discharged in January being paralysed down his right side and barely able to speak.

The Gilsenan family is working with the charity Brain Tumour Research and sharing the showjumper’s story during Brain Tumour Awareness Month to raise awareness of the disease.

The charity has just released new figures revealing the shocking number of young lives lost to brain tumours.

One in three children who die of cancer are killed by brain tumours; the disease is also responsible for one in four deaths of the under 25s, one in six of those under 40 and one in ten of those under 50.

The brain tumour mortality statistics relate to deaths in England and Wales and are compiled by the Office for National Statistics.

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Mr Gilsenan’s family is concerned he was released without a rehabilitation plan in place and are currently relying on costly private physiotherapy treatment.

They say they have been overwhelmed at the support they have received from family, friends, and the equestrian community.

Mrs Gilsenan said: “We have been so touched by the way people have stepped up to help fund treatment and a number of horsey people are donating their time and donating income from riding tuition. We are desperate to get Rory back on his feet and, if possible, on horseback too.”