A Cleethorpes woman says there needs to be more research into brain tumours
It comes as campaigners are handing in a petition to Downing Street today
Last updated 31st Jan 2024
A woman from Cleethorpes who lost a close friend to a brain tumour says she'd like to see more research into these types of diseases to find a cure.
Julie Gibbons, knows the challenges that people who suffer from these diseases face, after her close friend Jo Lonsdale, who was 53, and was diagnosed with glioblastoma in November 2021.
In October 2021, Jo, who served in the Army for 23 years started suffering from “crippling headaches and dizzy spells”.
His GP sent him to hospital for a CT scan which revealed two brain tumours. Shortly after, he was taken to A&E after falling down the stairs.
He had another scan which confirmed the tumours were glioblastomas.
Julie said: “When I found out Jo had a brain tumour with a prognosis of six to twelve months, I felt sick. It was a massive shock, and I was in disbelief. There’s so little government funding for brain tumours which is disgraceful, especially when they are so indiscriminate. I felt so helpless watching Jo deteriorate.”
Jo was also from the seaside town and underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but passed away in July last year.
Julie, said he was so happy after the treatments:
“Jo had an operation at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham and he managed to come home a week before Christmas. He was delighted with his scar because he thought it looked like a proper war wound!
"Jo had radiotherapy and chemotherapy until October 2022, but a scan in June 2023 revealed a new tumour had grown on his brain. It impacted his speech, and he was put on end-of-life care before he died on 27 July.”
Julie has since been raising money in aid of the charity Brain Tumour Research, and later this year will be running the London Marathon in honour of Jo.
Carol Robertson, national events manager for Brain Tumour Research, said that a story like this "is sadly, not unique"
“With one in three people knowing someone affected by a brain tumour, Jo’s story is, sadly, not unique. 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 since records began in 2002.
“We’re determined to change that but it’s only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, a cure. We’re really grateful for Julie’s support and will be there to cheer her across the finish line in April.”
To support Julie’s fundraising, visit: https://bit.ly/3S6Yf4d
Today, other like-minded brain tumour campaigners will hand in a petition to Downing Street calling for more research. Backed by the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The charity's patrons, Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell, and expert garden designer on the BBC’s The Instant Gardener, Danny Clarke, will join a group of dedicated campaigners in handing over the 81,336-strong petition which calls for increased investment for research into the devastating disease which kills more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
Dan Knowles, Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Research, said:
“Today, we are calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kick-start an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028.”
In the letter accompanying the petition, Dan Knowles wrote “In the last 20 years, research spend in the UK on breast cancer has been six times more than brain tumours – and survival rates have doubled. Leukaemia has received four times more funding and survival rates have increased six-fold. UK universities deliver world-class research and are poised to make further breakthroughs. Now is the time for the Government to invest in our globally leading research institutions in order to deliver cures.”
The charity wants the Government to recognise brain tumour research as a critical priority. It says the increase in research investment would put brain tumours in line with the spend on cancers of breast, bowel and lung, as well as leukaemia.
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Brain cancer is a devastating disease, which is why we've made £40 million available for research projects specifically looking for new treatments and therapies to tackle this illness.
“We're investing in research infrastructure, workshops and training for clinicians to further progress developments in this field. And we continue to encourage further applications for research funding from successful candidates through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.”