Matthew Starkey († 32) previously spoke about his battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. A teacher from Northern Ireland revealed that although he had no previous health problems, one day he noticed an unusual symptom that prompted him to see a doctor. , despite intensive treatment, the disease spread so much that he eventually succumbed to cancer.
- Matthew Starkey died of aggressive brain cancer.
- Doctors diagnosed him with glioblastoma in November 2024.
- The illness was accompanied by an unusual swelling on his right leg.
A healthy lifestyle didn’t help him either
Through the Stand Up to Cancer UK charity, Matthew, from the Northern Irish capital of Belfast, has previously explained how his life was turned upside down when he learned he was suffering from insidious cancer. He indicated that he considered himself an active young person until his thirties, while he regularly played football, went to the gym and went for frequent walks.
But in November 2024, Matthew noticed swelling on his leg, which he initially thought was a football injury. “I started limping a bit and soon lost control of my right leg. One day my leg completely gave way and I fell to the ground. I went to the hospital in a wheelchair. They examined me and I saw that the doctors and nurses were looking at me a little scared,” he noted in the interview.
Doctors diagnosed Matthew with glioblastoma, a rare and fast-growing type of brain tumor. The young man subsequently found out another threatening message. The tests revealed that he had only one year left to live. “At that moment everything seemed to stop, I was incredibly sad. I felt it was very unfair“, he added.
Knowing he didn’t have much time left, Matthew decided to make his dreams come true. He and his longtime partner Carrie planned a wedding and eventually tied the knot in June 2025. “It was a day full of love. At least for the moment, none of us thought the worst. No cancer, just a celebration” said the happy partner in the video.
In addition to hospice treatment, the young man’s condition continued to deteriorate. This ultimately led to his tragic death, which it came just six weeks after the wedding and less than a year after the diagnosis.
