Tribute to charity cyclist
Brian Osland
AN inspirational cyclist who raised more than £1,000 for surgeons who saved his life following two brain tumours has died.
Hartlepool dad-of-two Brian Osland, 62, battled two brain tumours in 2008 before fighting back and completing a gruelling 240-mile bike ride from Edinburgh to Hartlepool.
The epic feat raked in £1,032 for Professor Phil Kane and his team at the neurology department at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, which cared for him, as reported by the Hartlepool Mail in August 2010.
But sadly, around Christmas time of that year, Brian and his wife Anita were dealt a further blow when they were told a third tumour had been discovered.
Anita, 50, said: “It was a case of ‘not again’.
“He ended up with radiotherapy and two batches of chemotherapy but he was riding as long as he was well enough.”
Brian, who is dad to Anne Osland, 43, and 18-year-old Brian Osland, lost his fight for life on January 14.
Anita paid a touching tribute, saying: “He was inspirational.
“He had terrible jokes, but he was just my Brian.”
Brian, a lagger who worked his way up to management with Hertel, had an operation, followed by an MRI scan which showed the tumour was back.
He went on a course of radiotherapy last year but another scan showed the tumour was still there.
As a last resort, he was given chemotherapy.
Anita said: “When it came to chemotherapy he knew this was his last chance, but he was fighting it the whole time.”
After the first course of chemotherapy, Brian started to ride his bike again to build up his fitness.
But Anita said after a second batch of the treatment he wasn’t strong enough to go cycling.
“He loved his bike,” she said.
“He was wanting to do another ride, this time from Land’s End to John O’Groats, for the neurological unit.”
Following another MRI scan last November, the couple were given a ray of hope when they were told the tumour had not grown.
But the day before New Year’s Eve, Brian grew weak and Anita took him to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton.
Sadly after another scan, doctors said the tumour was terminal.
Anita, from the Park Road area, said: “It was just shock.
“I asked how long, but didn’t let Brian know, and they said it was weeks.”
She added: “He picked up and was normal Brian, joking, and was determined to fight.
“But within two days, he started to go down.
“I got him home on the Wednesday and I lost him on the Saturday morning.”
Anita thanked everyone involved in Brian’s care, including staff at James Cook University Hospital, Macmillan Nurses, Marie Curie nurses, district nurses, Brian’s workmates and neighbours for their support.
Brian’s funeral, at Stranton Crematorium, saw £400 collected for the hospital.
He also raised £800 for the unit by completing a cross-country ride from Barrow to Whitby.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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