The Wanted member, Tom Parker, has died at the age of 33.
The singer announced in October that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer.
He is being praised for his efforts to raise awareness of brain cancer.
Tom Parker has died due to brain cancer
Tom passed away on Wednesday after battling a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumor.
His wife Kelsey Hardwick wrote on Instagram: “Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world. We can’t imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence.”
She continued, “We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom’s light continues to shine for his beautiful children. Thank you to everyone who has supported in his care throughout, he fought until the very end. I’m forever proud of you.”
Kelsey and Tom married in 2018 and have a daughter, Aurelia Rose, and a son, Bodhi.
What is glioblastoma?
Mohammad Sami Walid, a clinical resident and medical author describes the tumor in a medical journal as “the most aggressive of primary tumors of the brain for which no cure is available.”
WebMD says the tumor grows quickly and puts pressure on the brain. Symptoms may include persistent headaches, seizures, vomiting, and difficulty thinking and speaking.
Tom Parker was praised for raising awareness and funding for glioblastoma
Tom helped to raise awareness of glioblastoma brain tumors before his death.
He also took part in organizing charity events to raise money for brain cancer research.
One example is a charity concert held at the Royal Albert Hall, which raised money for Stand Up To Cancer UK.
Tom also spoke to the House of Commons All-Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumours in December, telling them: “I’m staggered they can find a cure for COVID within a year but, for decades on end, they haven’t found better treatments, let alone a cure for brain tumors.”
Hugh Adams, head of the Brain Tumour Research’s stakeholder relations, said Tom had “helped to raise awareness of the devastation caused by brain tumors” by speaking so “openly and honestly.”
Tom Parker saw success with The Wanted
The Wanted formed in 2009, with Parker, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes, and Jay McGuiness.
They had two UK number one singles, Glad You Came and All Time Low, and several other hits, including Chasing The Sun, Heart Vacancy, and Lightning.