Graham and Sue had been planning a trip away but all that changed
14:14, 04 Aug 2025Updated 15:27, 04 Aug 2025
Graham Bell(Image: Graham Bell)
A husband and wife’s plans for a trip away changed dramatically after an urgent trip to A&E. Graham Bell and wife Sue, from Wirral, had been packing up their car for a trip to Wales when Graham began to suffer with a headache.
Sue also noticed a fall to the side of Graham’s face. The couple quickly went to A&E, where a stroke was ruled out – but scans revealed a 3cm brain abscess. Graham said: “It was a lot of information to take in a short time. I had the family around me, but I think we were all in a bit of shock. I was not well, so finding out what was going on quickly was key for all of us.”
After scans, Graham was referred to the Walton Centre in Fazakerley. Sue said that when she saw that the ambulance had brought her there she “knew it was serious. Graham was prepped for surgery right away. The team was so professional, but it was obvious that speed was of the essence.”
Days after his initial A&E visit, in mid-March, Graham had an emergency surgery to essentially drain the abscess. This momentarily helped, however, days later, he began to deteriorate again – sepsis had already set in.
Graham said he was “Rushed back into surgery to drain the abscess again and they gave me high doses of antibiotics to help tackle the infection. My clinical team worked to understand what was going on, and found that the infection had actually come from an infection in a cracked tooth I had.”
Graham Bell from Wirral suffered a brain abscess. He is pictured here with his family – wife Sue and children Rob and Aimee(Image: Graham Bell)
Graham was unaware of the harm that this painless crack was to cause, saying that “It was bizarre because I had no pain or swelling in my mouth to tell me there was something wrong.”
While rare, tooth infections can spread to the brain and cause brain abscesses.
Graham was kept in for six weeks following this second procedure, where around-the-clock, multidisciplinary care was given. The abscess reduced significantly, but scar tissue left him with some cognitive struggles.
Graham’s children Rob, Aimee, and their friends did a sponsored 50k walk around the Wirral on the 21st June to raise money for The Walton Centre Charity.
At the time of writing, they’ve smashed their target donation of £2,500 by over £700, raising £3,203, and are still raising money with an open donation link.
Graham had the latest review of his condition in July, which Sue described as “encouraging.”
She added: “He still has issues with communicating and moving around, but we’re following the therapy and on our way to getting back to as close to normal as possible.”
Sue said the couple were “incredibly grateful for the hard work and care The Walton Centre has given Graham. The hospital saved his life. For that there is nothing we can do to thank them enough! But as a family we can raise some money and give something back to support the outstanding care they give to patients every day.”
You can still donate to Rob and Aimee’s fundraiser for The Walton Centre here.