At The Beyond Recovery Project, we support many individuals living with the long-term effects of brain tumours that are medically labelled as benign. But we believe it’s time to challenge that term—because it’s not only misleading, it’s harmful.
The word benign suggests something harmless. Something that doesn’t need to be taken seriously. But when a tumour grows inside the brain, it can change a person’s life forever, regardless of whether it’s cancerous or not.
We’ve seen this firsthand.
From memory problems and mobility issues to fatigue, speech difficulties, emotional trauma, and personality changes—the impact of a so-called benign brain tumour can be just as devastating as one labelled malignant. In some cases, it can even be life-threatening.
And yet, this outdated language continues to shape how people are treated.
Far too often, individuals are discharged from hospital with little to no follow-up care or support, told they’re “fine” simply because their tumour isn’t cancerous. They’re left to piece their lives back together without the rehabilitation, resources, or emotional support they so desperately need.
The consequences are not just personal—they’re systemic. The benign label contributes to shockingly low funding for research, a lack of tailored services, and a widespread misunderstanding of the challenges people face.
At The Beyond Recovery Project, we believe language matters.
When we downplay the seriousness of non-cancerous brain tumours, we fail the people living with them. It’s time to stop using the word benign in this context. It doesn’t reflect reality—and it’s contributing to people being overlooked.
Let’s change the language. Let’s change the outcomes.
The Beyond Recovery Project CIC 