Police officer who looked like he'd been 'on 3 day bender' had brain tumour

A police officer who went to hospital after friends said he looked like he’d been on a ‘three-day bender’ was found to have an aggressive brain tumour.

PC Jack Watts, 31, who had been suffering from 'pressure headaches', was transferred to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital by ambulance – having first gone to his local hospital in Kettering, Northants, telling girlfriend Charlotte Patch not to worry.

Doctors in Oxford were shocked to discover he had an aggressive brain tumour, which could not be operated on due to its ‘dangerous location’ in the police officer’s head.

Medics concluded the tumour was so aggressive they were only able to carry out three weeks of chemo and radio therapy before running out of treatment options.

Unhappy with the prognosis, Jack and Charlotte discovered a clinic in Germany able to provide rounds of immunotherapy.

With the help of best friend Ben Hanger, 28, the couple are now making the 1,200-mile round trip to the Hallwang Clinic in Dornstetten every three weeks so Jack can receive the treatment.

Jack Watts is receiving treatment at a clinic in Germany Picture: PA Real Life (Image: PA Real Life)

Each round of immunotherapy costs around £26,000. The couple have managed to raise £120,000 through online donation site JustGiving, but will need more to keep paying for Jack’s treatment past the end of October.

Charlotte, 30, told PA: “Our whole life has been completely kicked upside down.”

Partner Jack began experiencing migraines for the first time in February this year and found that he was struggling to clearly see his computer screen at work.

He visited the opticians, to be told what he already knew; he had a lazy left eye.

A few weeks later, Jack was spotted by one of his best friends walking along the road to his parents’ house in Kettering looking out of sorts.

“It looked like he’d been on a three-day bender”, said Charlotte.

“He was almost walking sideways.”

Jack visited Kettering General Hospital, telling his partner not to worry and that he would be back shortly.

Concerned, doctors transferred him by ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Doctors in the city were shocked to discover that he had an aggressive brain tumour.

Unable to operate because of the ‘dangerous location’ of Jack’s tumour, they inserted a ‘fluid pathway’ into his brain.

Charlotte Patch and Jack Watts Picture: PA Media (Image: PA Real Life)

Charlotte said: “We had to wait about two weeks and then they said it’s Glioblastoma, it’s stage four, it’s as bad as it can physically be and we can’t operate on it because of where it is.”

Jack began six weeks of chemo and radiotherapy, but the treatment had to be cut short as the cancer had progressed.

He said: “My tumour is a little different because it’s growing in the middle of my brain.

“So they could only do three weeks of chemo and radio therapy.”

Told that was ‘all they could give’ Jack, the couple began doing their own research online and found out about a clinic in Germany that might be able to help.

Jack Watts is receiving the therapy treatment in Germany Picture: PA Media (Image: PA Real Life)

Jack said: “They will basically try when nobody in England will.

“We know the situation is terrible, but we need someone to just try. That’s why we went with Germany because the clinic will just keep going provided the money keeps coming.”

He is currently receiving three different types of immunotherapy and is waiting to undergo gene testing so that doctors can pinpoint exactly what treatment is most likely to be successful.

Almost 20,000 people have already donated to Jack’s treatment fund, but the cash will run out in October.

To support Jack and Charlotte, visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jacks-life-fund.