NEW YEAR: Coach Adrian Layden (front) with athletes Courtney Middleton, Alexis Thornberry and Scott Trevena at their first training session of the year. Nev Madsen ATHLETICS coach Adrian Layden nurtures and develops young talents but now they are providing him with support.
Respected Toowoomba coach Layden was diagnosed with a brain tumour last March and underwent treatment in Brisbane and Toowoomba.
He received a positive report about his condition following the treatment but that good news was short-lived as another inoperable tumour was found in October.
The tumour is a Grade 4 aggressive tumour.
All of the while, Layden has attempted to keep training his group of aspiring throwers, who come from Millmerran, Gatton and around Toowoomba.
Despite his health concerns, Layden is always keen to spend time with his enthusiastic students training at O'Quinn St Park.
"It keeps your mind off things. It keeps your mind active," said Layden, who moved to Toowoomba from the Mackay region five years ago.
"The kids are really good. I really missed it when I was crook."
The band of junior throwers also misses Layden.
So much so that one of his athletics pupils, Alexis Thornberry, contacted The Chronicle to help build support for Layden's medical treatment.
She hopes that the Toowoomba community can help someone who gives so much.
Layden will have an MRI later this month to see how his latest tumour has progressed and the results could have a bearing on whether a new treatment to Australia is suitable.
Gamma Knife surgery is highly-regarded in managing brain tumours and Australians had to previously head to Germany for treatment.
But the potentially life-saving treatment is available in Sydney, but at a cost of $26,000 per treatment.
The self-employed painter is keen to give it a go to combat the tumour, and also so he can keep coaching his beloved juniors.
"You've got to try everything," he said. They say if you don't try to get rid of it, it will just keep coming back.
"There is no guarantee that it's (treatment) going to last forever. I might have to go back down in a couple of years and do it all again."
About 1600 brain tumours are diagnosed each year in Australia.
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