Author: The Brain Tumour Charity

Sue Perkins, presenter of the Great British Bake Off, has revealed today that she has lived with a brain tumour for the past eight years.

When my mother Janet was diagnosed with the brain tumour that eventually took her life, I was terrified. Like the rest of my family, I had experienced nothing like it.

Having left New York on 3 May 2015, Tom and Lawrence arrived in Salcombe Harbour at 16:53 today, becoming the youngest duo to row the Atlantic unaided.

Last Friday Cancer Research highlighted statistics which reiterate the importance of a fast and simple diagnosis for people with cancer.

On 3 May 2015 Lawrence Walters and Tom Rainey started an extraordinary challenge. For the best part of three months since then, they have been rowing from New York to Salcombe in Devon across the treacherous North Atlantic Ocean.

Research published online today in the scientific journal Neuro-oncology has shown that some of the questionnaires completed by patients, parents and teachers relating to the behaviour, emotional wellbeing and quality of life of children affected by a brain tumour can flag reductions in IQ.

On Sunday, an Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving world class cancer outcomes: a strategy for England. This sets out 95 recommendations for the delivery of services for cancer by the NHS in England for the next five years. (Tuesday July 21).

Thousands of brain tumour patients in the UK are struggling to cope financially and emotionally in the face of ignorance about the disease, says a report out today (Monday July 20).

Neil and Angela Dickson, Charity Founders of The Brain Tumour Charity, have today been awarded MBE’s for their services to the brain tumour community. (Friday 17 July).

We interviewed Anna Crofton, Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist at The Walton Centre, who regularly exchanges experiences and ideas with a wider network of healthcare professionals. (Thursday 09 July)

Anne and Vanessa, the mums of Tom and Lawrence who are currently at sea for three months raising funds for The Charity, share some words about their sons. (Wednesday 01 July)

We welcome the publication of the ‘Top 10 Neuro-Oncology Uncertainties’, identified by the James Lind Alliance (JLA) as having highest importance to people with a brain tumour.

The Brain Tumour Charity has been shortlisted to the final stages of the Masonic Samaritan Fund Silver Jubilee Research Fund vote, for a chance to be awarded a grant of £100,000 to fund our Centre of Excellence at University College London.

We are proud to launch our new strategy to double survival and halve the harm that brain tumours have on quality of life.

On Saturday 30 May, Farnborough Sainsbury’s held a balloon release and race to mark the end of their year long partnership with The Brain Tumour Charity.

Lyn Roberts spoke to us about her experiences as a full-time carer for her husband David.

We are supporting Carers Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities.

Sacha Langton-Gilks lost her 16-year-old son David (DD) to a brain tumour in 2012. We invited her to share her family’s experience, and her passion for improvement in end-of-life care. This is an edited version of the speech she gave at our first paediatric brain tumour information day, which was held in Southampton in May 2015.

Together with the team at Southampton General Hospital, we held our very first Paediatric Information Day last Saturday.

“Clinical trials are essential to giving brain tumour patients more of life’s best moments because we cannot get better treatment without them.” – Ken, who had a glioblastoma removed in 2014, is now on a clinical trial.

To mark International Clinical Trials Day on 20 May, we are supporting the Ok to Ask campaign, getting more patients enrolled in clinical trials.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ document Choosing Wisely – which has been widely reported in the media – says doctors should work with patients to cut out treatments and procedures which are of ‘questionable value’.

Death. There, we’ve said it. Stark. Frightening. Taboo. We won’t – or can’t – talk about dying. Only by shattering this taboo and, as a society, openly discussing it, can we dilute that fear.

Should donors and fundraisers have more choice over where their money is spent? It’s an ongoing debate among charities not just in the UK, but all over the world.