Fundraising West Bromwich father dies from brain tumour after battling cancer for third time

Stefan Halloran, aged 29, had been battling cancer for the third time.

He was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2007, which was removed, and was told he had cancer again two years ago. It was after he finished treatment for this second bout that he started raising cash for Brain Tumour UK.

But then a month ago doctors broke the news that Mr Halloran, who has a three-year-old son called Jake, again had cancer, this time with two tumours. Although one was removed, last Wednesday he was admitted to Sandwell Hospital with a bleed on his brain.

His wife Laura, 29, said: "I was told he had two hours to live, but he held on until Friday morning.

"He had about 50 people visit him on the Thursday."

He passed away listening to the couple's wedding song, I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith.

Hundreds of people attended his funeral yesterday at St Paul's Church near Hill Top, West Bromwich. Those that couldn't get inside the church packed its small yard and spilled out onto the street, and could hear the service over a loudspeaker system.

Traffic outside had to be managed by funeral director staff.

Mr Halloran, from Farley Road in Greets Green, organised a host of events to raise cash for Brain Tumour UK, now called The Brain Tumour Charity, which supports sufferers and carries out research into the disease.

This included a 22-mile walk from the Moon Under Water pub in Hateley Heath to Bridgnorth, and fundraising evenings. He also inspired others to fundraise, with one friend even taking on the London Marathon for the charity.

Mrs Halloran said that, in the weeks before he died while he was in hospital, he was talking about future fundraising efforts as he was determined to keep collecting cash.

Mrs Halloran said: "He started fundraising last year because he had around a year off the chemotherapy.

"We did a charity night at the Greets Green pub last March and more than 300 people came, and a week before that we did our 22-mile walk.

"Around 30 people dressed up and did the walk, and Stefan dressed as Batman.

"We also did a family day at the Eight Locks pub in Greets Green.

"The total he raised was about £14,000, and that's just what people gave us and donated, so that's not counting what people have raised themselves," she added.

She added: "Stefan was a lovely person, no-one had a bad word to say about him.

"He was a brilliant husband and a brilliant dad.

"He was always positive and never got upset about his tumour, He called himself Ironman, because he had that many tumours and always bounced back."

His family have asked for donations to The Brain Tumour Charity.