A British father who initially blamed weakness in his hand on the physical demands of his job was left unable to write his own name before a devastating diagnosis changed his life.

Elliot Macdonald, who works as a floor tiler, assumed the discomfort in his hand was just from years of manual work. But when he could no longer sign his own name his healthcare worker sister, Lauren, urged him to seek medical help.

After seeking help from medical professionals and having tests done, the 35-year-old was told the heartbreaking news that doctors had “found a mass on (his) brain”.

Mr Macdonald recounted the devastating moment he was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in a GoFundMe campaign set up by his family.

“My siblings, Lauren and Ross, have kindly put this fundraising page together for me because they know I’m not the sort of person who would normally make something like this public, or ask for help,” the dad wrote.

“But, like most people, I never imagined I’d find myself in this position. Hearing the words ‘we’ve found a mass on your brain’ is devastating.

“Hearing that the diagnosis comes with an average life expectancy of just 12–18 months, even with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, is something no person or family is ever prepared for.

“Since receiving that news, I’ve cried more days than not. Partly because I’m scared of the unknown, but mostly because of what I might miss.”

The young father said he is grateful his sister encouraged him to get his symptoms checked out.

“About four weeks ago I noticed something wasn’t quite right with my hand, I was struggling to write. My sister’s a doctor, and I told her about it hoping to get some advice. She said straight away ‘get checked out’,” he told the Daily Mirror.

“Lauren has been touched by cancer herself during her life, and has battled Stage 4 melanoma. She has thankfully been in remission for six years now, but advice and support has been invaluable.”

Photos shared to the fundraiser’s page show a large scar on Mr Macdonald’s head being held together by large staples after he had complicated open brain surgery.

“Within a few days I had open brain surgery but I then had a seizure, so they had to go back in. It was a whirlwind and I was struggling to take everything in. Naturally you just struggle to accept it,” he said.

Mr Macdonald will receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the coming months in his fight against the disease, vowing that he won’t give up in hopes he can see his five-year-old daughter, Aluna, and one-year-old son, Ocie, grow up.

“We’re also doing everything we can to give ourselves the best possible chance of more time together as a family,” the GoFundMe statement continued.

“I’m not ready to accept that my story is over, and I want to explore every avenue available to me in this fight.

“I want to watch Aluna continue to grow into the kindest, most beautiful soul. I want to be there to guide her, support her and cheer her on through life. I want to see Ocie ride his first pedal bike and watch him grow into the cheeky little lad we’re already starting to see emerge.

“Most of all, I want to be here. I want to be their dad for as long as possible.”

The fundraising campaign has received an outpouring of support and surpassed the £150,000 ($AUD288,000) goal, raising a total of £165,593 ($AUD318,900) at the time of writing.

According to Health Direct, Gliomas, including glioblastomas, are the most common type of brain tumor, which start in glial cells, a type of cell found in all different parts of the brain.

Symptoms may include:

• Headaches — these are often the first symptom of a brain tumour
• seizures
• Problems with balance and coordination
• Weakness on one side or part of the body
• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion, drowsiness and fatigue
• Dizziness or loss of consciousness

You might also experience changes to:

• Your vision, hearing or speech
• Your sense of smell or taste
• Your personality and how you behave (e.g. irritability or moodiness)
• How you think
• Hormone levels
• Your memory