An Inverness school teacher has released an album to raise funds for brain tumour research after a tumour was found on her husband’s brain.
Jo Blair, an additional support teacher at Inverness Royal Academy, and a keen musician, has released an album, Green Tree, with the proceeds going to Brain Tumour Research.
Her husband Stewart Blair was diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma in November 2013 after suffering an unexpected seizure.
Mr Blair, who lives in Boat of Garten, was taken by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for an MRI scan but suffered two more seizures on the way before doctors uncovered a tumour on his brain.
Surgeons were able to remove 80% of the tumour during an awake craniotomy at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and following a week in intensive care, Mr Blair was able to go home.
However, in January 2021, a scan showed that the tumour had returned for which Mr Blair underwent 15 months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy.
Mrs Blair said: “Even though he looked ok, I could see Stewart was not the same after surgery.
“His memory was affected; I would come home after work and he would be sitting watching TV with three cups of tea next to him because he’d forgotten them.
“His sense of humour also disappeared, which was really hard because that was such a part of him.
“It took two years of recovery before I recognised the Stewart I knew, and it was so lovely when his sense of humour returned.”
‘We both just want to go for it’
Mr Blair continues to have regular check-ups and has been stable as of his last check-up, three weeks ago.
Commenting on the new album, Mrs Blair said: “I’ve always written songs and made music so I have released my first ever album, a mix of folk and country – with a Scottish twist.
“I’m doing this not just for Stewart but for everyone who has been affected by this devastating disease.
“The situation for brain tumours is really bad. There is so little funding from the government which means there is so little research, it’s shocking. The treatments are aggressive and only prolong life, there is no cure.
“We’re very aware it will grow back but life is for living so we both just want to go for it and enjoy it.
“We don’t want to dwell on things too much because that’s a waste of time.”
To purchase and download the album, Green Tree, click here.
