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A man has been left permanently brain damaged after a headache turned out to be a “one in a million” condition which almost killed him.
Martin Griffiths, a 25-year-old from Boston, Lincolnshire, was “absolutely healthy” and “full of energy” he suffered a severe headache while working with his father, Jason, for a drainage company.
Jason said at the time he felt like he had been “hit round the back of the head” and he was quickly rushed to hospital.
Initially diagnosed with a stroke, Martin was then told he had a brain tumour and was given just three to six months to live.
However in a shock twist, a biopsy revealed there was no sign of cancer and instead Martin was diagnosed with an “incredibly rare” form of inflammation on the brain which affects less than one person in a million and is usually seen in the elderly.
Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous System (PACNS) – a type of CNS Vasculitis — sees inflammation of blood vessels in the brain.
“It’s incredibly rare, particularly at Martin’s age,” Jason said.
After undergoing a procedure to eradicate the inflammation in his brain, Martin was placed in an induced coma and his condition deteriorated to the point his whole family, including his mother, Lyndsey Cheshire and his siblings, Aaron, 23, Chelsey, 19, and Nathan, 13, gathered at his bedside after deciding to switch off his life support.
“All of Martin’s friends and family came to the ICU, there was about 21 of us,” Jason said.
“We went there prepared to say goodbye, it was definitely the worst day of my life.”
To doctors’ and his family’s shock, Martin woke up a day later – and though he was in a vegetative state, he was able to engage with his eyes, wink and even move his lips to kiss his girlfriend, Jess Turner, 27.
He was transferred to brain rehabilitation hospitals in Leicester and Lincoln, before he was moved to a care home in August 2024 where he still resides.
The family hope to bring Martin home soon but he will likely need round-the-clock care for the rest of his life.
“He’s not with us fully but Martin has done so many things he should’t have done, he’s gone against the grain with almost everything throughout this entire process,” he said.
Jason purchased a house in April 2024 where he is hoping to bring Martin home – but a few modifications need to be made first in order to make it accessible.
The family launched a GoFundMe page to help them with these costs, raising more than £2,000 so far.
Jason said: “I’m going to be constantly looking for something that clicks with him and as soon as I find something that makes him happy, I’ll just keep on doing it.”
Dr Manjeet Shehmar, medical director of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We recognise the huge impact that this has had and continues to have on Martin and his family.
“CNS Vasculitis is an extremely rare condition, affecting fewer than one person in a million, and usually affects older patients.
“Because of the rarity of the condition, it is very challenging to diagnose as it presents with very variable symptoms.
“It is usually diagnosed through brain biopsies; these are shared with consultants across the country for review and consideration in order to make a diagnosis.”
