Dalkeith nursery nurse fundraising for brain tumour cure after beloved husband dies from the disease

A nursery nurse from Dalkeith will be stepping up for charity in memory of her husband who died from a brain tumour.
Hazel and Scott Cornwall from Dalkeith, pictured before Scott passed away in 2020. copyright Brain Tumour ResearchHazel and Scott Cornwall from Dalkeith, pictured before Scott passed away in 2020. copyright Brain Tumour Research
Hazel and Scott Cornwall from Dalkeith, pictured before Scott passed away in 2020. copyright Brain Tumour Research

Hazel Cornwall (61) will be taking part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge. Her husband, Scott Cornwall (59), died from a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in September 2020.

Hazel realised something was wrong on July 7, 2019 when she was cleaning some chairs in the garage.

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She said: “Scott came in and said the cleaning spray had a terrible smell. He was really sweating and he wasn’t making any sense.

Brian and Hazel Cornwall. copyright Brain Tumour ResearchBrian and Hazel Cornwall. copyright Brain Tumour Research
Brian and Hazel Cornwall. copyright Brain Tumour Research

“An ambulance took Scott to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. He had auras and he got sweet and sour tastes in his mouth. He was given tablets for a stroke and was sent home, but I thought it was something more serious.”

The following day, Scott, a crane operator, had an MRI scan which revealed he had a mass on his brain. He was told he had just 12 months to live.

Hazel, mum to Ryan (34) and Kelly (37) said: “I couldn’t comprehend it. Scott was never at the doctor’s, he was fit and healthy one day then life got turned upside down.

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“After the diagnosis, he got sepsis, shingles, and he had a bleed on the brain. It was pure devastation, but he remained upbeat.”

Scott went to the Marie Curie hospice on September 7, 2020. He died the following week, on September 7, with Hazel and Ryan by his side.

Hazel will now walk 10,000 steps every day in February to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.

She said: “When Scott was diagnosed with a GBM, he was handed a death sentence. It’s so important to raise money for research so something can be done about this devastating disease. I just want to help the next person who has to go through this.”

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Brain tumours kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

After a successful first challenge a year ago which raised nearly £1 million, Brain Tumour Research’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge is calling for people to step up to make it even bigger and better in 2022.

Participants will receive a free emoji t-shirt and fundraising pack when they receive their first donation and a special medal if they raise £274 or more.

Matthew Price, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Hazel for taking on this challenge for us as it’s only with the support of people like her that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Scott who are forced to fight this awful disease.

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“The best part of the 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge is that you can fit your steps in with your everyday life. That could be having a coffee and catching up with friends at your local park, walking your commute or school run instead of driving, getting off the bus a few stops earlier or walking around your house whilst on the phone. You could even team up with friends or colleagues and complete your steps together!”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia and is also campaigning for greater repurposing of drugs.

To donate to Hazel’s 10,000 Steps a Day fundraiser go to

To join the Facebook challenge group, go to www.facebook.com/groups/10000stepsadayinfebruary2022

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