Dale was really outgoing and flamboyant, so full of fun and life – in fact he loved life and his family in equal measure. He, Jamie and Scott were triplets, born when I was three years old, with Jamie and Dale being identical and extremely close. The three brothers were naturally conceived and naturally delivered and were the first triplets in 21 years at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Dale wasn’t sporty, but he loved music and especially anything by Pink or Miley Cyrus, as well as Motown.

In July 2022, Dale went away camping with a friend and realised he was walking to the left with his head on one side, a bit like a crab. He felt and looked unbalanced. Dale then found he wasn’t feeling safe driving and started struggling to eat and drink because he was finding swallowing so difficult. He lost more than four kilos in four days.

A visit to the GP resulted in blood tests which didn’t turn up anything. Multiple sclerosis (MS) was suspected, but a CT scan again failed to reveal any answers to what was going on.

In September that year, Dale found himself unable to lift his head and we called paramedics who found that his blood pressure was high too. They took him into the Derby Royal Infirmary.

It was on Saturday 25 September that Dale and his partner Gavin were told, after Dale had undergone an MRI scan, that he had a terminal brain tumour.

Those weeks after his diagnosis were very hard because we all knew what the outcome was going to be. We tried to make light of it with lots of jokes.

In November, Dale's family rented a big house for the weekend in Lincoln and all went there – Mum, Dad, Dale and his brothers and sister Leanne and her kids, as well as Gavin and Nanna. It was great to have a big Sunday dinner together and make some very special memories.

Meanwhile, Dale kept apologising for having a brain tumour. He wasn’t ready to go.

On 17 December 2022, on his sister Leanne's birthday, Dale passed away, aged 31, just 12 weeks after his diagnosis. He was just over 6ft tall, but had gone from 18 stone to just under 13 stone.

Leanne has set up a Fundraising Group called Colours of Hope to raise awareness and keep Dale’s memory alive.

Supporting Brain Tumour Research, organising events and fundraising, gives the family a purpose. They're looking forward to our first official fundraiser as Colours of Hope which will be a big Halloween party, having organised a successful one last year which raised £4,299. Dale always loved getting dressed up – and it’s a great way to get uncles, aunts, cousins and friends together to remember our dearly loved and much missed brother.