Bereaved Boston woman demands action on brain tumours
She's calling on the Government to provide more funding
A Bereaved Boston woman has joined patients and families across the country demanding action on brain tumours.
Kathryn Clements lost her mum, Shirley, just 2 months ago.
She's now signed a petition calling on the Government to provide more funding.
Kathryn said watching her mum deteriorate was like living a nightmare.
"She had been a nurse, she was a really intelligent woman.
"She had a great sense of humour and all of that was taken away from her.
"She lost her short-term memory and that never came back.
"She was never able to make anymore memories and over time she lost more and more and more memories."
"When they lose their memory and they lose themselves, you’re already grieving for the loss of that person even though they’re still there.
"But you’re also in turmoil as you’re so worried about them and you’re so worried about what’s to come."
A report being given to MPs today says brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
Brain Tumour Research is calling on the Government to:
• Introduce a new brain tumour research levelling up fund of £105 million
• Increase the national investment into brain tumour research to £35 million a year
• Show joined up thinking for investment across the brain tumour research pipeline
Sue Farrington Smith MBE, Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Research, said her sister’s little girl Alison was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2000.
"Ten months later we lost her, three weeks before her eighth birthday.
“Twenty years on and the fate of adults and children diagnosed with these tumours has not improved - in fact the five-year survival rate has fallen to just 12%.
"What’s more, people diagnosed with low-grade tumours that become aggressive over time live with a ticking time bomb, not knowing if or when their tumour might become a lethal grade 4.
"In the meantime, they endure sometimes multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
"They can suffer changes in personality and more and more disabling impacts, and their loved ones’ lives and livelihoods are changed forever as they become carers."
“Now is the time to give hope to the thousands of families impacted by a brain tumour every year."