NEED TO KNOW
Mitch Jenderko was diagnosed with an aggressive grade four brain tumor after initially attributing headaches to work stress
Mitch underwent emergency surgery and treatment, including chemotherapy on his wedding day, and is now expecting a child
The couple is focusing on staying positive and their growing family
A man who initially thought his headaches were due to stress was told he has just months to live after doctors discovered an incurable brain tumor.
Mitch Jenderko — a 31-year-old from Shropshire, England — had long work hours and spent a lot of his time staring at his computer screen. So, when he started experiencing headaches in early 2024, he thought his job was the reason.
“I did have headaches but nothing I would have put down to more than everyday work stress, long hours and a fast-paced job,” he told Southwest News Service.
Mitch and Gemma Jenderko
Credit: SWNS
But in mid-July, Mitch was at work when he suffered a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. After undergoing scans, doctors discovered he had a brain tumor, which was likely low-grade and benign.
However, in September 2024, Mitch’s updated scans showed “major changes in the tumour’s behavior” and he required emergency surgery and a biopsy.
“There was an agonizing wait for the results of the biopsy — and that’s when it came back that I had a very aggressive kind of cancer,” he recalled.
A scan of Mitch Jenderko’s brain
Credit: SWNS
In October 2024, Mitch was diagnosed with an aggressive, grade four brain tumor called an astrocytoma. He was told he likely has between 18 months and two years to live.
“When you’ve just turned 30, it’s a very bitter pill to swallow,” he said. “Even the team were shocked when it turned out to be stage four.”
Sign up for From the Editor, our free weekly newsletter from PEOPLE’s Editor-in-Chief, Charlotte Triggs.
Mitch Jenderko in the hospital
Credit: SWNS
His now-wife Gemma Jenderko, 32, said the diagnosis was heartbreaking. “I have PTSD from the appointment where we were told Mitch had stage four cancer,” she said. “Your world just falls apart, it didn’t feel real. It was devastating.”
“It hit us like a ton of bricks,” she continued. “From this point on we had to not only process this ourselves but also work out how to break the devastating news to family and friends.”
Mitch and Gemma Jenderko at their wedding
Credit: SWNS
A month after his diagnosis, Mitch proposed to Gemma and began eight months of radiation and chemotherapy treatment. He even had chemotherapy the morning of their wedding day in May 2025.
“Treatment was intense, not just physically but mentally,” he told the outlet. “I wasn’t sleeping well and every day was draining. It was really hard.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Mitch and Gemma Jenderko
Credit: SWNS
Mitch’s scans have since been clear, but the couple knows that the future is unknown. They are determined to make the most of their time together and are now expecting their first child. Their baby is due in January 2027.
“The prognosis remains the same, incurable, regardless of stable scans,” Gemma said. “Now we’re just taking things three months at a time for each scan, but the baby is giving us something to keep positive for.”
“I’m very positive and keep a great outlook,” Mitch added. “My last scan came back clear, and then finding out Gem is pregnant, it was a double dose of good news for us.”
Read the original article on People