Dad given 12 months to live after being prescribed antibiotics for holiday ear infection

A YOUNG woman has told the devastating story of how her fiancé’s suspected ear infection turned out to be the sign of an incurable brain tumour. Kris Bennett, then 37, began experiencing headaches while on a family holiday in Turkey and when he returned home, his GP assumed an ear infection was to blame and prescribed him antibiotics. Kris Bennett, pictured with fiancé Hollie Boswell, was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour Credit: Jam Press Doctors initially thought his headaches were caused by an ear infection, but antibiotics didn’t help his symptoms Credit: Jam Press The medicine, however, didn’t help and the next month, in August 2025, Kris developed a sudden and excruciating headache during a spa weekend with his partner, Hollie Boswell. The headache affected his speech and balance so Hollie rushed him to A&E, worried that he was having a stroke. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! But there, a CT scan shockingly revealed that the dad had a tumour on the left side of his brain. The painter and decorator was sadly diagnosed with incurable grade 4 astrocytoma and was given the devastating prognosis of 12-18 months to live. With this heartbreaking news, the couple were forced to fast track their plans to get married and are now due to tie the knot in May 2027. Hollie, a nursery worker, said: “More than anything I hope Kris is well enough to enjoy every moment of our day. Marrying Kris really does mean everything to me. “We have been through more together than most couples ever have to face and being able to become husband and wife would be one of the most special memories we could ever make.” And speaking about Kris’ diagnosis, she added: “Our lives literally shattered from that point onwards. Most read in Health “Never in a million years did I expect to be told he had a brain tumour. “I genuinely thought that they were going to tell us Kris had suffered a mild stroke. Pictured with two of his children, Toby and Riley, Kris was on holiday with his family in Turkey when he first started experiencing headaches Credit: Jam Press Hollie rushed Kris to hospital a sudden headache affected his speech and balance and she thought he was having a stroke Credit: Jam Press “When the doctors told us, I remember grabbing hold of Kris and I felt completely numb. “I couldn’t actually process what had just been said; it was like time stood still.” Hollie has now become Kris’ full-time carer, as well as looking after the couple’s three young children – Toby, 6, Riley, 2 and newborn Sienna. The mum discovered she was pregnant with her youngest just shortly after Kris received his diagnosis. An astrocytoma is a brain tumour that is part of a larger group of brain tumours called gliomas, the Brain Tumour Charity say. Symptoms of the tumour include headaches, difficulty speaking, double vision or blurriness, trouble thinking and seizures. There are not specific statistics for survival rates of adults diagnosed with a grade 4 astrocytoma, according to the charity. They say that for those diagnosed with a grade 3 tumour, only about 27 per cent live for five years or more. When Hollie and Kris received the heartbreaking news that the dad had a 5cm mass in his brain, their whole life “shattered”. Kris’ debilitating headache came on during a spa weekend with Hollie for her birthday. But after rushing to hospital, Hollie, from Gravesend, Kent, said “from that moment everything changed and our lives revolved around hospital appointments, scans, surgery and treatment”. “The fear was overwhelming, and it still is.” A CT scan revealed that Kris had a 5cm mass on the left side of his brain Credit: Jam Press Pictured with his newborn daughter Sienna, Kris underwent an eight-hour brain surgery to remove 80 per cent of the tumour Credit: Jam Press Kris was kept in hospital for further scans and tests, and given pain relief and steroids to reduce the swelling. In September 2025, he underwent an eight-hour surgery, which removed 80 per cent of the tumour – the dad was awake for the entire time. The remainder of the tumour, however, was embedded within healthy brain tissue and had to be left to avoid causing life-changing damage. After this, Kris was told that he could have less than two years to live. Describing this news, his fiancé said: “Nothing prepares you for hearing that the person you love and imagined you’d spend the rest of your life with has 12-18 months to live. “It literally felt like our whole future had been ripped away from us. “We had gone from planning so many exciting things for our future, to wondering how much time we had left together.” Kris has also undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy and since the diagnosis, he has been unable to drive or work. His family have been exploring other treatment options, including an immunotherapy clinical trial at one hospital, but they were sadly told Kris would not be eligible because he had already had surgery elsewhere. “I had done some research and was reading really positive stories. To then be told Kris would have had to have had his surgery at their hospital to be eligible was deeply upsetting,” Hollie said. She added: “I have also been told that he wouldn’t qualify for any trials because he is responding to treatment. “It’s only when that stops working that he could be put forward for any trials.” Kris has been given the devastating prognosis of just 12-18 months to live Credit: Jam Press What is an astrocytoma? An astrocytoma is a brain tumour that is part of a larger group of brain tumours called gliomas. About one in three brain tumours diagnosed in the UK are astrocytomas, making them common primary brain tumours. These tumours affect adults and children. As these tumours grow from cells that are vital in processing information in the brain, they can disrupt the function of whichever area of the brain they are growing in. Some of these tumours grow in the cerebellum, which controls balance. They can also occur in the optic pathways, which are involved in sight. So, symptoms can be very different between people affected by these tumours. That being said, common astrocytoma symptoms could include: Headaches Difficulty speaking Change in vision, like double vision or blurriness Cognitive difficulties, like trouble thinking or remembering Seizures (epilepsy) The treatment for a brain tumour depends on its grade, size and location. So, there’s no single treatment for this type of tumour. Generally the first treatment is neurosurgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. This may be followed by radiotherapy and sometimes chemotherapy. Source: The Brain Tumour Charity A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help support the couple financially, as well as enable them to make key memories – including tying the knot. Speaking about their upcoming wedding, Hollie said: “It’s something that I have dreamed of for years, like most girls who want their special day to be perfect but now it means even more because we know how precious time really is.” The mum is now working alongside The Brain Tumour Charity to raise awareness of the devastating impact brain tumours can have on families. She said: “Watching Kris fight this cruel disease while trying to make memories with our children is absolutely heartbreaking. “My biggest hope is that Kris can continue responding to treatment for as long as possible, while also keeping an eye on any clinical trials or new treatments that may become available to him in the future. “If we were fortunate enough to raise the funds, we would love to explore treatment overseas. “Countries such as America and Belgium are currently leading the way in areas like immunotherapy, which I have read some really encouraging stories about. “We know that there are no guarantees with trials, but if there’s even the smallest chance that a treatment could give Kris more time, then we want to be able to explore every possible avenue.” Hollie added: “Sometimes it feels as though cancer starts taking parts of your life away long before it actually takes your life, but Kris has been so strong throughout everything he’s been faced with – and that will always make me keep fighting alongside him. “It has really put life into perspective – every day is so precious.” Comment now