A SOUTHAMPTON business man, who had an “avocado-sized” tumour removed from his brain, is urging people to save a struggling cancer charity.

Matt Conrad, owner and director of The Orange Rooms and partner in Oktoberfest Southampton, found out he had a brain tumour earlier this year.

In October, a team of surgeons carried out awake, open brain surgery to remove the tumour, but later found out he had aggressive grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme (GMB) - a type of brain cancer.

He is currently having intensive radiotherapy for five days a week for six weeks.

Matt is also taking chemotherapy tablets and following this he will have six months of chemotherapy treatment.

After being treated in hospital, he decided to start raising money for Wessex Cancer Trust - but this was before the cancer support charity sent out a crisis appeal to raise £600,000 by January 31 2020.

Financial circumstances have hit the charity and now they could face risk of closure if they do not raise the targetted amount.

Matt raised just over £7,000 for the service through the Oktoberfest Southampton event held in October - and now he has sent out a plea to help save the cancer support service.

He said: "I'm so saddened and concerned to see the launch of the Wessex Cancer Trust Crisis Appeal.

"It's a very tough environment out there for everyone, but to see such an incredible charity going through hardship and requiring such large funds to be raised in such a short amount of time after being established for 40 years is a very hard to digest.

"We were absolutely honoured to help earlier this year, raising over £7000 through Oktoberfest Southampton to aid them in their incredible work, and will continue to support them in whatever ways we can.

"If anyone can, raise £600,000 by 31 January 2020 for the incredible team at the Wessex Cancer Trust, so they can continue their incredibly valuable work.

"They've supported me through my ongoing cancer treatment as well as 11,000 others each and every year and continue to do so. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

"I see their work each and every day when I'm at the hospital.

"I really hope that by reading about their incredible work and the support they provide for local people during the most difficult of times, that everyone will be generous."

"Please donate now by going to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/SaveWessexCancerTrust."