A 36-year-old is "lucky to be alive" after suffering numerous side-effects following treatment for multiple brain tumours.

Bradley Hannan, from Chatham, was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma – the most common high-grade paediatric brain tumour – when he was five years old.

He started being sick every morning and lost his appetite, but it was only after his eyes turned inwards and his mum took him to an optician that the first of three tumours was discovered.

Bradley underwent surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy but relapsed four years later and underwent further treatment.

He was left with facial paralysis requiring reconstructive surgery, which left him disfigured, a radiation-induced growth restriction and learning difficulties.

Bradley was then diagnosed with two further brain tumours, both low-grade meningiomas, at the ages of 22 and 33, after suffering debilitating headaches.

He endured two more surgeries and is now being monitored with regular scans.

Bradley, now 36 and living in Chatham Hill, also developed visual, hearing and speech impairments and a narrowing of his trachea which causes him to choke.

His younger sister Daniela Golding, of Sturdee Avenue, Gillingham, said: "He is a bit of a miracle. He is an inspiration to us all.

"He never moans and just gets on with it, regardless of what is thrown at him and the cards he has been dealt.

"We know he is lucky to be alive and, despite the difficulties he has, we are so grateful to be able to share every birthday and family occasion with him.

"We know brain tumours do not get nearly as much funding for research as other cancers, which is crazy when you think of the devastation they can cause.

"We want to help raise awareness and funds for the charity in the hope that things will change. Too many, especially younger people, are dying and not enough is being done.

"Early intervention is key but quite often the early symptoms are missed. People think it is rare for children to get cancer but it not, so we wanted to help raise money and awareness for that."

According to research by national charity Brain Tumour Research, brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

But only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the disease.

Daniela, 35, and her children – Ché, 15, Noah, nine, and Sienna, six – have now pledged to do 50 keepy-uppies a day throughout the World Cup to help raise awareness of the lack of funding.

The domestic abuse worker added: "My children are at an age now where we can discuss a bit more about what happened and they can understand a bit more about Uncle Brad and what he has been through.

"My boys are always playing football so they decided to take on this pledge for their Uncle Brad.

"When they get home from school, they go into the garden or sometimes take a ball to the park and do them there. It comes naturally to them and is fun so it is just the time commitment that is a challenge, really.

"Ché’s played football at academy level but still has not managed to do more than 25 in a row. Sienna and I have been joining in a bit but we cannot get nearly as many as the boys."

You can donate to Daniela’s fundraiser here.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: "Bradley’s story is a stark reminder of just how indiscriminate brain tumours are, affecting anyone at any age. We are really grateful to Daniela and her family for supporting us and wish them the best of luck with the remainder of their challenge. Together we will find a cure."