Dad plays guitar during awake brain surgery to remove kiwi-sized tumor

A 44-year-old father of five from Ivybridge, Devon, underwent an awake craniotomy to remove a kiwi-sized brain tumor. Paul Welsh-Dalton was conscious for portions of the five-hour operation at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth so surgeons could monitor his brain as they worked. Doctors removed about 98% of a 4-centimeter mass diagnosed as a grade 3 oligodendroglioma, a rare malignant tumor. He played three songs during the procedure—Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) by Green Day, Tribute by Tenacious D, and Wonderwall by Oasis—to help clinicians judge whether the operation affected his speech or movement.

The operation began after a seizure at home on March 3 that prompted his wife, Tiff, and their five children to seek medical help. The family was taken to Derriford Hospital, where imaging and tests confirmed a brain mass. Paul chose to have the tumor removed and a biopsy performed during the same operation. He was kept awake for parts of the surgery so surgeons could press on different areas of his brain and watch for changes in his ability to move or speak. He later described the experience as surreal.

Two weeks after the procedure, biopsy results confirmed a grade 3 oligodendroglioma. His wife, who works as an adult support worker, recounted the emotional strain of the ordeal: at times she wondered whether he would survive, and she worried about how the diagnosis would affect their five children—Max, 14; Gracie, 13; Maddie, 12; Finnley, 10; and Colby, 3.

In the weeks since surgery, Paul has completed six and a half weeks of radiotherapy and is scheduled to begin nine months of chemotherapy in October. Doctors will continue to monitor the tumor with scans as treatment progresses. Tiff said she and Paul remain hopeful, noting that while the disease is described as terminal, that label does not predict an imminent end. “Terminal doesn’t mean tomorrow,” she said.

Paul’s case illustrates the tense balance in modern brain tumor care: surgeons rely on patient feedback during awake procedures to protect essential functions, while multidisciplinary teams pursue aggressive therapy to extend life and manage symptoms. The family remains focused on the time they have and the moments they can share together, including the music that accompanied Paul during his operation.