Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Kelsey Parker, widow of Tom Parker, disclosed recently that when her husband was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, the nurses had initially thought he would survive for only three weeks. She has been working hard to raise funds for such patients ever since.
Kelsey has been open about her difficult journey since the passing of her husband Tom. She appeared on GB News, where she called for more NHS funding to aid those fighting against brain tumors and touched on how altering changes in their life increased his lifespan to eighteen months instead of the three weeks initially expected.
Late singer Tom Parker’s widowed partner Kelsey Parker raises funds for brain tumor patients
Tom, the former singer of The Wanted, died tragically from brain cancer at 33 years old on March 30, 2022. Glioblastoma multiforme, an incurable brain tumor diagnosis was made two years before his death for the singer who hails from Bolton. Kelsey and Tom were a family of four sharing two children, Aurelia and Bodhi.
Kelsey discussed how despite being the leading killer among individuals under forty years old including children, brain cancer is poorly funded. She said, “There’s no magic wand, but it’s so underfunded. It’s the biggest killer to children and under-40s adults yet it gets 1 percent of funding. On this journey that I’m on I have met parents that I talked to who have lost children. Until I became involved, I had no clue about the level of funding.”
Kelsey Parker’s heartfelt note on brain tumour awareness and second death anniversary of her husband
Reflecting on Tom’s illness, Kelsey said they were able to save him some more time through a lot of researching and finding extra funds, saying that Tom never wanted a prognosis—he wasn’t that kind of person. He didn’t count down days or want a prognosis. His specialist medical staff informed her after his demise that if it had been up to the medical professionals, it would have been just three short weeks, but somehow they managed to give him eighteen months instead. It took long hours, money, and research, but it was worth it, she concluded.
The second anniversary of his death fell in March, and Kelsey marked it by posting a heartfelt message about her late partner on social media. Her words were:
“Can’t believe it’s been two years. Feels like only yesterday that you left us, but I feel like I’ve been on my own for a long time now and so much has changed since you were here. I know you’d be so proud of everything we’ve achieved. The house is looking as we wanted it, Rae is in school and thriving, Bodhi won’t take his football kits off, K2K is going from strength to strength, and the online community I’m growing. I know you’d be so proud of me, I’m so proud of me, but I wish more than anything you were here to tell me yourself.”
Kelsey urged her followers to take a moment to remember those who were gone too soon. In addition, she noted that March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month and lit a candle in memory of Tom and for all the families affected by this devastating disease. She urged her followers to join her in raising awareness and funds so brain tumors can be healed.
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