The Brain Tumour Charity

Earlier this year, 52,000 of you backed our campaign calling for a National Brain Tumour Strategy. People affected by a brain tumour diagnosis can’t keep waiting for change. They need improvements across the care pathway—and they need them as soon as possible. That’s why it’s time to demand action on a National Brain Tumour Strategy! We’ve created a letter for you to send to your local MP, highlighting the challenges facing the brain tumour community. Use the link below to get matched with your local MP and send the letter. There is also space for you to share your personal experiences of being affected by a brain tumour diagnosis and explain why you’re demanding change. This will be included in your letter. Don’t forget to share this campaign widely—we’re heard so much more loudly when more people demand change. A National Brain Tumour Strategy can’t wait. Head to the link to demand action now. https://bit.ly/3Uf7wZG

We’re delighted to say we’ve just received a grant of £25,000 from Garfield Weston Foundation for our Adult Support Team, which consists of both staff and volunteers providing services, specialised information and resources for people diagnosed with a brain tumour or their loved ones across the UK. Thank you!

We’re delighted to say we’ve just received a grant from Nationwide Building Society towards our Counselling Service for people affected by a brain tumour diagnosis living in Greater London. This will help us reduce their level of distress and make a big difference to their wellbeing and mental health. Thank you!

🎨 “I sometimes call my artwork dreamscapes, as most of my paintings come straight from my imagination. I paint peaceful, calm and tranquil places that I want to escape to when things get tough.” This World Art Day, we're celebrating Nicola – an artist using her creativity to raise funds after losing both her brother and her husband to glioblastoma. Her brother Stephen died in 2009, just a year after he was diagnosed. Ten years later, Nicola’s husband David was told he had the same type of brain tumour. David had awake brain surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy – the same treatment Stephen had received a decade earlier. “It was only after David had had his brain surgery, radiotherapy and chemo that we realised that the treatment for this type of tumour hadn’t really progressed since my brother’s treatment 10 years prior. It was shocking and incredibly upsetting to find this out.” David died 11 months after he was diagnosed. Now, Nicola is raising awareness and vital funds through her artwork – helping to accelerate a cure and improve life for everyone affected by a brain tumour. You can learn more about Nicola’s story by heading to the link below.

At The Charity, we are committed to making sure that the voices of those directly affected by brain tumours are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why, in 2024, we established a new Lay Advisory Board (LAB)—a group of individuals with lived experience who help shape our research funding decisions. By embedding the perspectives of those most impacted by brain tumours, we can ensure that the research we support is not only world-leading but also truly aligned with the priorities of our community. Head to the link to learn more.

We’re excited to celebrate the first year of our 2024 Young Ambassadors! 🎉 This two-year initiative is for young adults aged 18-25 who have been affected by a brain tumour diagnosis, either personally or through a loved one. The programme offers a platform for them to share their experiences, raise awareness, and help shape the work we do at The Charity. Over the past year, our Young Ambassadors have been actively involved in raising awareness and supporting important conversations around brain tumours. From meeting with MPs to sharing their stories on social media, they’ve made a meaningful contribution to the brain tumour community. We’re looking forward to seeing all they’ll continue to achieve in the future. 💙 #YoungAmbassadors #BrainTumourAwareness #ChangeMakers

Today, a brain tumour consortium, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), has unveiled their plans to utilise the remainder of the funding allocated by the Government in 2018 for research into brain tumours. Subject to funding approval by NIHR, the plans hope to increase the availability of clinical trials for brain tumours. There is currently a lack research participation opportunities for those living with this disease and we welcome this announcement to help address this. We must ensure the brain tumour community is involved and look forward to working with the consortium to ensure this exciting initiative delivers for all those affected by this devastating disease. Read more: https://bit.ly/4jnDJbn

Today, we’re celebrating everyone who has taken on an Own Walk throughout #BrainTumourAwarenessMonth! 💙 Thank you to everyone who has come together with the brain tumour community to raise awareness and funds—you rock! 🚶♀️ Jade, her family & friends walked 10k around Southsea, kicking off with four head shaves—including Jade’s 12-year-old son! They wrapped up with a raffle, quiz, and disco, raising an incredible £9,383 with Gift Aid! 🎉👏❤️ 🌙 Molly, one of our amazing Young Ambassadors, organised a Twilight Walk around Bute Park in Cardiff, starting and ending at the National Museum. She brought people together to raise awareness in Wales and has raised over £1,000 to help accelerate a cure! 🙌🎗️💜

Today, the Government has announced new plans to “turbocharge medical research” through a £600 million investment. This funding will support the creation of the Health Data Research Service, a secure and centralised hub designed to make it easier for researchers to access the health data they need. The aim is to break down barriers that currently slow access to vital data. These barriers can delay the discovery and development of new treatments. We asked our Director of External Affairs, Cameron Miller, for his thoughts: “The Brain Tumour Charity welcomes the news of the creation of the Health Data Research Service. We know there are currently gaps in the discoverability and accessibility of data for brain tumours, and we are encouraged that this will start to improve the data infrastructure, making it easier for researchers to access what they need. However, this must also be paired with addressing the gaps in high-quality brain tumour data, which would be central to the delivery of a National Brain Tumour Strategy. We will continue to ensure the brain tumour community is involved as this service develops, and we hope it will ultimately lead to faster diagnosis, better care and more treatment options for those affected.”

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