Danielle Epstein Dumps Boyfriend After He Was Diagnosed With Cancer Because It Was Ruining Her Mental Health

The decision by a teacher to run a marathon in his honor after breaking up with her boyfriend after learning of his cancer diagnosis has drawn criticism.

According to The Mirror, 37-year-old Jelle Fresen was told he had a rare type of brain tumor called a grade 4 medulloblastoma, 32-year-old Danielle Epstein said she felt terrible for having abandoned him.

Fresen underwent 17 hours of brain surgery, and six weeks of radiotherapy, and is currently undergoing nine months of chemotherapy to remove the tumor.

Danielle Epstein, a physics teacher, started having panic attacks in the interim, and her mental health deteriorated. She ended their relationship, moved to Thailand, and is now running a marathon in his honor for brain tumor research. She and Mr. Fresen remained friends throughout this time.