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Alex Costa-Veiga, 16, recently returned to the classroom to take his exams after missing months of school for treatment
Alex was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumor in December 2023 when he was 14
“It’s been a difficult journey with a few bumps in the road, but Alex has stayed positive and determined to achieve,” the teen’s mom said
Alex Costa-Veiga is celebrating an inspiring milestone in his cancer journey.
The 16-year-old from Shrewsbury, England, recently returned to the classroom to sit his GCSEs — subject-specific exams taken by students in the U.K. — after missing months of school for treatment, per a news release from the Brain Tumor Research charity. Alex was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumor in December 2023 when he was 14.
His treatment included brain surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and months of rehabilitation. Alex had to repeat Year 10, but returned to take his GCSEs in math, English language, biology, geography and religious studies.
“Alex has worked so hard, and we are incredibly proud of all he has achieved,” his mother, Melanie, said. “It’s been a difficult journey with a few bumps in the road, but Alex has stayed positive and determined to achieve.”
“He has made fantastic progress,” she added.
Alex Costa-Veiga after undergoing brain surgery
Credit: Brain Tumour Research
After completing his GCSEs, Alex hopes to study biology, geography and computer studies at A-level. “I would like to be a marine biologist or work with animals,” he said.
Prior to his diagnosis, Alex had been experiencing unexplained symptoms, including morning sickness, vomiting and balance issues, for more than a year. His symptoms were initially believed to be linked to stomach problems or anxiety, per Brain Tumor Research.
“Sometimes he would actually throw up, but would then be completely fine for the rest of the day and full of energy,” Melanie said, per a previous release from Brain Tumour Research. “At first, I thought it might be anxiety. He had recently changed schools, and I just assumed he was having trouble adjusting.”
Alex Costa-Veiga during treatment
Credit: Brain Tumour Research
When Alex began experiencing double vision in December 2023, Melanie took him to the optician, which led to an urgent referral for a CT scan at Telford Hospital, where doctors discovered a mass on the teen’s brain. Alex was immediately transported by ambulance to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
“As soon as the consultant said the word ‘mass,’ I knew it wasn’t good,” Melanie recalled. “We had to wait for a doctor to accompany Alex in the ambulance when he was transferred to Birmingham. That’s when I knew it was serious.”
She remembers feeling “completely numb” at the time — before “the fear hit.”
“As a [mom], you always want to protect your child, but in that moment, I felt utterly helpless,” she said. “I was horrified and in total shock.”
Alex Costa-Veiga and his mom, Melanie
Credit: Brain Tumour Research
Alex underwent emergency surgery to fit a shunt to relieve pressure on his brain, then had a 10-hour operation to remove the tumor from his cerebellum, which had already begun to spread. After the procedures, the teen faced a year of intensive treatment, including radiotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy, that left him with side effects including severe fatigue, speech difficulties and left-sided weakness.
Early in his recovery process, Alex had to use a wheelchair, but he can now walk short distances using a walker. He had to wear a prism — an optical tool built into eyeglasses that bends light before it hits the eye — and has since undergone corrective eye surgery.
Alex has also started hormone therapy after the cancer treatments damaged his pituitary glands, impacting his growth hormones.
Alex Costa-Veiga receives a special visit in the hospital
Credit: Brain Tumour Research
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Alex’s family donated his tumor tissue to research in hopes of advancing treatment options for pediatric brain tumors.
“We still need more answers and more research,” Melanie said. “There are only three options — surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy — and they are far too harsh for children. Other countries are developing kinder treatments, and the U.K. must catch up.”
According to Brain Tumour Research, brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer — “yet since records began in 2002, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumors.”
Alex Costa-Veiga doing rehab
Credit: Brain Tumour Research
“Alex’s story is a stark reminder that brain tumors are not rare,” Letty Greenfield, community manager for the charity, said. “We stand with Alex and his family in demanding more research, more funding and better treatments for every child facing this devastating diagnosis.”
Melanie said that while Alex has made incredible strides, his recovery remains ongoing.
“People think once the treatment ends, it’s over, but it’s not. There’s still a long road ahead,” she explained, adding, “We’ve met children on that ward who are no longer here. We count our blessings every day.”
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