9 AUGUST 2002
The son-in-law of former prime minister John Major is fighting an inoperable form of brain cancer, it was revealed on Thursday.

Luke Salter, 30, a newly qualified doctor, married student sweetheart Elizabeth Major two years ago at a glittering wedding ceremony which was covered by HELLO! magazine.

On Thursday he spoke to Britain’s Daily Mail of his battle against the potentially fatal condition – known as round cell tumour – which is so rare it took six months to diagnose. He is currently undergoing intensive treatment to try and shrink the tumour and has suffered hair loss as a side effect. But even though the illness is so uncommon it is impossible to predict his chances of a full recovery, he says he remains “upbeat”.

“It’s extremely rare, and usually associated with children not adults,” Luke said. “I was diagnosed two months ago, but have actually been ill since the New Year when I started suffering headaches.

“Of course it came as a terrible shock and this is a very difficult time for me and Elizabeth and our two families,” he added. “But I am receiving treatment for it with a curative intent…. Elizabeth and I are very upbeat about it and believe I will beat it.”

John and Norma Major were away on holiday on Thursday and were unavailable for comment.

Luke, the son of an infant school teacher, Diane, and a Ministry of Defence worker, Roger, first met Elizabeth Major, a veterinary nurse, in 1990 when they were members of the Huntingdon Youth Orchestra. Luke played the French horn and she was a clarinettist. They were married at a local parish church in Cambridgeshire in March 2000.

The news comes three months after his wife’s brother, James Major, suffered a meningitis scare and burst appendix. James, 27, needed emergency to remove the appendix but has since recovered.