Brad Townsend

My brother Brad a few years ago was diagnosed with mouth cancer. In an extensive operation he had half his tongue removed, part of his wrist was removed to replace it and part of his stomach skin grafted to replace his arm. He has undergone radiotherapy and also the challenge to talk again. His illness & recovery was one challenge after another and living with him I saw him struggle on through every one. He always kept a remarkable positive attitude was fearlessly strong and determined throughout. What makes him even more truly inspirational was that prior to being diagnosed he worked as a stonemason. He'd wanted to be a school teacher for sometime and although now in his 30s and needing to go back to start a new profession from scratch, he did. He gave up his job and moved away to study. He then moved further away to Sheffield and was in his first year at uni when he was diagnosed. He had to give up uni and move back home for treatment.He has now recovered and I can proudly say graduated. He has had to fight and put everything he has into recovering and graduating, to reach what was a simply want in life. He's now a primary school teacher and gives his personal best everyday to every lesson to every child. Ive seen what he does in his lessons and his work is so creative, so captivating and above all amusing that I know what he truly inspires the children that come through his classes and has shown me if you want something in life it really is worth fighting for.