Devon brain cancer survivor: 'Life is brutal and beautiful'

'I have cancer - life is brutal and beautiful' Jack Howitt, 25, has had four brain tumours and he has just heard there could be another one.

Despite being blindsided by a diagnosis that would change his life forever, his story is one of resilience and determination to be a Paralympic athlete.

At 20 years old, Jack, from Thurleston in Devon, was a healthy young man, deeply passionate about rugby and part of the Exeter Chiefs' academy for up and coming players.

His life took a drastic turn when he was diagnosed with brain cancer, after a seizure while on holiday.

In all he was found to have four brain tumours, with another suspected tumour following a recent MRI scan.

"When I first found out, it was pretty brutal," Jack recalls.

"The first thing I thought about was how to comfort my mum, who was sitting right next to me.

"It was difficult to process for someone who was previously healthy."

Despite the diagnosis, Jack's spirit remained unbroken.

A biopsy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed and he has now learned to live with the constant uncertainty that comes with brain cancer, where the disease is never truly in remission but rather "stable", meaning it is not growing, he says.

One of Jack's coping mechanisms has become his passion for training and triathlon.

"Triathlon is a sport where the more you put in, the more you get out of it," he explains.

"You might be a really rubbish swimmer, but after eight weeks of swimming, you're not so rubbish. It's all about hard graft."

Jack's journey into triathlon began with a simple yet profound decision.

While browsing a sports website, he asked himself which one would most annoy his mother.

He settled on triathlon, despite his epilepsy making swimming particularly challenging.

"Epilepsy and water don't mix," he notes with a wry smile.

But Jack was determined and found the physical challenge was also a mental and emotional lifeline.

"It was getting me through the days in the beginning, and then as I got on, I started to enjoy it," he says.

The tumours have affected him physically on the right side of his body.

"Down the right hand side my agility, speed, strength, awareness of space has all gone out the window," he says.

"I walk into door frames quite a lot, I can't lift as much."

Jack's trainer, Will Wood, shares a deep connection with him.

"The first thing I noticed straight away was his strength of character," he said.

"His story took me back massively. I had lost my father and father-in-law to brain cancer, so as soon as I met Jack, it was just an instant bond."

Will was also struck by Jack's positivity and empathy.

"He cares about others, not just himself, and has a willingness to succeed in any fitness domain.

"Even with his right-side dysfunction, he was confident and capable. It was remarkable to see this young man with so much potential."

Jack knows becoming a Paralympian is a tall order, but he approaches it with a pragmatic mindset.

"If you take it one day at a time and get 1% better every day, it starts to look more achievable," he said.

"And if I don't do those things, I won't be the person I can be."

Jack is facing the possibility of not having children.

"To be honest I also don't see myself living long enough to have children," he said.

"It's upsetting.

"Life is horrific and brutal, but it's also wonderful and beautiful.

"If you don't appreciate the wonderful and beautiful, all you'll see is the brutal side of life."