Man who had vision problems and headaches dead at 28
Foundation established in memory of James Barker (Image: Cover Images)
An “inspiring” young man who bravely battled brain cancer has passed away aged 28, leaving his family and friends devastated. James Barker, from Broadstairs, Kent, had a “zest for life”, was an avid footballer and runner, and explored the world while pursuing a career he admired.
But four years ago he started experiencing vision difficulties and headaches. In January 2022, medical professionals informed him that he had an inoperable diffuse midline glioma; this disease generally carried a life expectancy of five to 15 months after diagnosis.
Despite his condition, James, the second oldest of four siblings, completed the London Marathon and maintained his joy of life while undergoing chemotherapy that same year. After medical intervention and some alternative holistic treatments, he received the news of recovery in 2023.
But just six months later, devastatingly, the cancer returned. James passed away peacefully last month, leaving the family home “feeling empty”. Now his parents and siblings are determined to continue his legacy of motivating others and stay true to his philosophy: “I don’t remember the question but love is always the answer”.
Ian Barker, James’ father, said: “He was such a delightfully extraordinary character and that’s hard to replace in our home. Our hearts are broken at the moment. We laugh more than we cry now and that’s because James inspires us. I’m extremely privileged to be his dad. Pride probably doesn’t cut it either way.”
James Barker passed away on February 10 after his battle with brain cancer. (Image: Cover Images)
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Mr Barker described his son as “effortlessly loving”, a sentiment echoed by many others. “You hear people say they light up a room; he did that,” he said.
“Throughout his life, he never showed any signs of fear, even when he was diagnosed. In fact, quite the opposite. He embraced life and inspired people even more with his approach.”
James, a graduate of Dane Court Grammar in Broadstairs, studied sports technology at Loughborough University before taking up a position at Hawk-Eye, a company that provides VAR technology for sporting events. This role allowed him to travel the world, visiting various countries and attending numerous events.
However, at the age of 24, he started experiencing headaches and vision problems. She soon received the crushing blow of her diagnosis and was informed that only palliative care could be offered.
James Barker with his parents and siblings (Image: Cover Images)
James endured six weeks of grueling radiotherapy and daily chemotherapy. He and his family explored alternative treatments, including meditation and intravenous vitamin C therapy, as well as conventional medicine.
Remarkably, everything went well for James afterwards – but the relief was short-lived, lasting only six months until a routine scan revealed a new growth.
“But James continued to live fearlessly and inspire others,” his father explained. “We’ve heard a lot of people lately say that they would just sit with James and literally shoot the breeze. Because he has a zest for life and a really goofy attitude, they come away from that conversation feeling uplifted and feeling like they can get on with the day.”
James’s death deeply affected his family and friends. Mr Barker stated: “I am grateful for the life he led and the way he taught and inspired us, not only to us as immediate family, but also to his wider family and certainly to his community of friends.
“People ask the question: Why James? Why was he kidnapped at the age of 28?
“The consensus now is that those of us who knew James were very lucky to have known him. Some people never know a James in their lives. Most people don’t achieve what James did in 28 years.”
James Barker ran a marathon while undergoing chemotherapy (Image: Cover Images)
With this in mind, Mr Barker, along with James’ mother Heidi and siblings Lara, Ella and William, are establishing a foundation to continue his legacy. The yet-to-be-named charity will support holistic treatments for those struggling with chronic illnesses and “inspire others to heal”, just as their son and brother wished.
Establishing such a charity was one of James’ ambitions. A. GoFundMe page It was started to raise funds before the official establishment of the foundation.
A memorial service for James will be held at Queens Road Baptist Church, Broadstairs, on March 19 at 2pm. Everyone who knows and cares about him is invited.
