My mam died from a brain tumour and now my partner has the same illness
A South Shields mum is fundraising for a brain tumour cure.
Nabela Salem, from South Shields, lost her mam, Breda Hanlon, to a brain tumour when she was just a baby.
Then this year, the 33-year-old’s partner, Craig Dunn, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma - a rare and aggressive brain tumour.
Craig, who works as an energy consultant, first began experiencing severe headaches in April 2025 and after visiting his GP, he was set to A&E where scans revealed a brain tumour.
The 34-year-old underwent emergency surgery to remove the mass at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), in Newcastle, and was later diagnosed with medulloblastoma.
He has since completed 35 sessions of radiotherapy at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital and will soon begin chemotherapy.
Nabela has explained the impact that Craig’s diagnosis has had on her family’s daily life and expressed her pride in how he is coping with the treatment.
She said: “Our family life has changed completely since Craig’s diagnosis. We would take our daughter Serena to the park, beach, and go swimming together.
“We haven’t been able to do those things as much because Craig has been so unwell since his radiation treatment.
“But watching him with Serena – how patient, loving, and playful he is – makes me so proud.
“He’s an incredible dad, and we’re doing everything we can to stay hopeful.”
Nabela’s mam was a bodybuilding championship who won the title of Miss British Isles Figure Building Championship in 1987.
Despite being in peak physical health, Breda was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour and had surgery at Newcastle General Hospital.
She also underwent radiotherapy and stayed active for as long as she could but she sadly died in 1993, shortly after Nabela’s first birthday.
Nabela added: “My mam’s passing taught me a lot about strength, love, and being present.
“Those lessons are helping me now. I want Serena to grow up seeing that even when life is hard, we can still do something good.
“That’s what this fundraising is all about – hope.”
As a way of turning her experiences into something positive, Nabela is working with Brain Tumour Research to raise awareness of her family’s story and the need for sustainable funding into the disease.
Nabela completed the Great North Run in September, raising more than £8,500 honour of her late mam and Craig.
She commented: “Losing my mam changed my life in ways I’m still coming to understand. Going through everything with Craig has brought a lot of those emotions back to the surface.
“Some days it feels like I’m being asked to walk through grief all over again – but my mam’s memory reminds me to hold tightly to the people I love and to keep going, even when it’s hard.”
“Fundraising for Brain Tumour Research has given me something positive to focus on during such a difficult time.
“When I found out that brain tumours receive just 1% of the national spend on cancer research, I was shocked.
“Despite how devastating these diagnoses can be, funding is so low – that has to change. Every donation, no matter how small, helps bring us closer to a cure.”
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, has praised Nabela for sharing her story and helping to raise vital funds.
She said: “Nabela’s story is deeply moving. She’s shown incredible strength by turning personal tragedy into action. Her fundraising is not only a tribute to her loved ones but also a vital contribution to our mission to advance research.“