A 21-Year-Old Man Died of a Brain Tumor Weeks After Being Told He Had an Ear Infection

An artist from the U.K. died from an incurable brain tumor just four weeks after doctors initially thought he had a routine ear infection.

From Minor Symptoms to a Sudden Crisis

Tyler Morton, 21, lived in Bedford, England. In January, he began experiencing an earache, followed by numbness on the left side of his face. When he started losing his balance and had trouble walking, he went to the hospital.

Doctors diagnosed him with an ear infection and prescribed antibiotics.

However, Tyler’s condition only grew worse. He began vomiting and lost movement on the entire left side of his body. His 19-year-old sister, Ella, took him back to the hospital. After a CT scan, doctors told them he had vertigo and gave him anti-nausea medication.

The medication did not help. "I took him back to the hospital; when we arrived, he had two seizures," Ella said in a press release from the charity Brain Tumour Research. "He was physically disabled by this point and could barely talk."

Further tests revealed that Tyler had a grade 4 glioblastoma. Glioblastomas are the most common and aggressive type of cancerous brain tumor in adults. While treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can sometimes slow the tumor's growth, there is currently no cure.

By the time Tyler was diagnosed, his condition had deteriorated too much for him to undergo treatment.

"We were told Tyler couldn’t have any treatment because his body wouldn’t have been able to handle it," Ella said. "Everything happened so quickly."

Tyler was discharged to receive end-of-life care at home. He passed away on March 25, less than two weeks after his 21st birthday.

Ella described Tyler as a kind, funny, and supportive older brother. To honor his memory and raise awareness about the disease, she raised more than £1,300 (over $1,750) for Brain Tumour Research by participating in a fundraising challenge. She is also working with the charity during Glioblastoma Awareness Week to highlight the need for better funding and research.

According to Brain Tumour Research, the average survival time for someone diagnosed with glioblastoma is 12 to 18 months, and only 4% of patients survive five years or more. Despite these difficult statistics, there have been no new treatment options approved for the condition in recent years.

Dr. Karen Noble, the charity's director of research and policy, stated that Tyler’s story represents a tragic reality for many families. The organization is calling on the government to increase funding for brain tumor research to help find more effective treatments.

Glioblastoma Facts & Symptoms

• Glioblastoma is the most common fast-growing brain tumor in adults.
• Common symptoms can include persistent headaches, seizures, nausea, facial numbness, and difficulty with balance or speech.
• Currently, there is no cure, and treatment options remain limited.