Boy, 6, dies of brain tumor after headache while playing football

A boy from Broughton Astley has died from a brain tumor after suffering headaches while playing football. Now his family is doing everything to raise awareness and help save other children.

Taylan Kurtul was just five years old when he was diagnosed with an aggressive medulloblastoma brain tumor last May. Taylan had earlier suffered from headaches, nausea and exhaustion before the shock diagnosis left him needing lengthy surgery at Queen’s Medical Center in Nottingham.

However, things didn’t get any better for little Taylan, who went on to suffer from Posterior Fossa Syndrome (PFS) – a series of neurological symptoms that left him unable to walk or eat. For his parents Laura and Toygun, it also meant he was left unable to speak with treatment, making him increasingly frail.

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Initially, proton beam therapy seemed to be working for Taylan, but by October last year, MRI scans revealed the horrifying news that his tumor had spread to his brain and spine. Mother Laura was horrified by what it meant to her son.

She said: “We were told, ‘There’s no easy way to say this, but we can no longer pursue curing Taylan. It’s too aggressive and the radiation only slowed it down. Now we can only provide palliative care.”

Just after Christmas, she and Toygun chose to end Taylan’s treatment. The young man died in February aged just six, leaving his parents devastated.

Laura said: “We will never find the words to describe how we feel after losing Taylan. There is no cure for this pain and now we face an indescribable journey of survival. When you lose your child, the world becomes a different place and everything seems grey. Taylan touched so many hearts with his joyful soul and taught us the true meaning of love.”

Taylan was one of the 16,000 people who are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. According to Brain Tumor Research, the tumor kills more children each year than leukemia, while only 12% of those diagnosed with a brain tumor survive beyond five years. This compares to an average of 54% for all cancers.

The speed with which the tumor affected Taylan is why his parents are looking to do everything they can to make sure other families are not heartbroken by a similar loss. That’s why they’re hosting a special festival this Saturday (June 22) in an attempt to raise awareness, funds and help remember their son.

TayFest is part of the wider Kineton Music Festival at Kineton Sports and Social Club in Warwickshire and is run specifically for under 12s. The day will include a foam party, disco, football, participation in the Taekwondo event and the chance to learn circus skills. There will also be appearances by Batman and Taylan’s favorite superhero – Spiderman.

Lottie Campion, one of TayFest’s chief organizers and a friend of Laura’s, said: “Taylan was the happiest and most outdoorsy little boy. He was so warm, kind and funny. His death from a brain tumor seems so random and scary – it could happen to any of us with our young children. No one should have to lose their child – it’s heartbreaking.”

TayFest is open from 12pm to 5pm this Saturday, with children being urged to donate £5 to cover the costs of all activities. All money raised goes to Tay’s Tribe, which was set up by Laura and Toygun to raise funds for Brain Tumor Research.

Ashley McWilliams, Community Development Manager for Brain Tumor Research, said: “We are really grateful to Lottie and her group of friends for organizing TayFest and we hope it will be great fun for all the families who take part. We are also so grateful to Laura and Toygun for bravely setting up Tay’s Tribe to raise funds to help change brain tumor patients as a legacy for their beautiful little boy.”

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