Shropshire families calling for more research into brain tumours
The disease kills more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
Families in Shropshire are campaigning to get more investment into brain tumour research.
Charlotte Lilley has been working with charity Brain Tumour Research, after her dad John passed away in May from a Glioblastoma brain tumour, aged 61.
She says: "My dad was looking forward to retiring, going away with my mum after years of working and serving his country. He was in the Navy and fought in the Falkland's.
"He was denied that by a disease which at the minute is ahead of science."
"Over the last 20 to 30 years, we've seen the prognosis for other cancer types be completely turned on their heads by investment in research. It was only be doing our own research that we saw that brain tumour patients are yet to be so lucky."
She has set up "John's Army" in memory of her dad, and hopes to raise money for the charity.
13-year-old Ella McCreadie, also from Shropshire, died from a previously undiagnosed brain tumour in December 2022.
A coroner report later found the young horse-rider suffered a haemorrhage caused by a high-grade diffuse glioma.
In a joint statement, shocked parents, Sophie Penrose, 32 and 36-year-old Alastair McCreadie said: “We didn’t even know she had this. Ella’s brain tumour was discovered during the autopsy. She had no symptoms at all which is scary.”
Sophie added: “Five days before, Ella was riding her horse called Bliss and the day before she died, she was in school. She went to bed Thursday and never woke up.”
“Although we are still living in this nightmare, it’s important to share Ella’s story to help other families and to get the funding for research so we can eventually find a cure. Brain tumours are not rare, and we need to speak more about this disease to help change the things for patients in the future.”
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “For too long governments have put brain tumours on the ‘too difficult to think about’ pile. Five years after the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research, less than £11 million has been spent.
"Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose.
“If everyone can spare just a few minutes to sign and share, we will soon hit the 100,000 signatures we need and help find a cure, bringing hope to families whose loved ones have been affected by brain tumours.”
To sign and share the petition before it closes at the end of October 2023, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/petition