I spent most of last year receiving treatment for two primary cancers. After undergoing brain surgery in December, I was informed that the second primary cancer that I have been diagnosed with is a grade two astrocytoma: this is a type of low grade glioma which is the most aggressive type of low grade glioma, and is incurable. Since being diagnosed, I have become aware of the historic dramatic lack of funding going towards brain tumour research. 

• Even though brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, brain tumour research is extremely under-funded. 

• At the current rate of funding, it could take up to 100 years for brain cancer to catch up with developments in other diseases. The rare type of tumour that I have is part of a group which is considered the ‘underfunded of the underfunded.’ 

• Only 12% of brain tumour patients survive beyond 5 years of their diagnosis and brain tumours are the chief cause of cancer deaths in children and young people. 

• In England, 16,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour. Living with a brain tumour is isolating, scary, involves facing difficult treatment and in many cases a much shorter life.

So, I am determined to do everything I can to turn to action, and help to drive things forwards. 

I have a lovely team of family and friends who are incredibly generously keen to fundraise, raise awareness and lobby alongside me. 

We are kicking off with my amazing friend Elie McDaniell who at the start of April will be attempting a London-Paris duathlon - cycling 190 miles from London to Paris, before running the Paris Marathon the next day.

We are fundraising for Brainstrust!

Brainstrust has been a huge support to me. From helping me prepare in the run up to my surgery, to being on hand to answer my questions, to connecting me with others, and providing coaching and information. Further down the line, they will be able to support me to find opportunities for any new and emerging treatments or trials. In them, I have a professional advocate and support network. 

Importantly, the organisation also meaningfully supports increased investment in clinical research. Closing the funding gap into research and development will give truly lifesaving advances to treatment approaches. I know this is true, because I learned that if I had had this diagnosis even 15 years ago, I wouldn’t have access to the type of operation I’ve already had. There’s innovation out there to be accessed.

To date Brainstrust’s work to bring people closer to clinical research, and research closer to patients has helped attract over £17m of new funding from organisations like the National Institute for Health Research. 

Hopefully research will one day lead to a cure. In the meantime, Brainstrust do amazing things to help today, building the evidence base to help people live much longer and with a higher quality of life. 

March is brain tumour awareness month, so we are trying to raise awareness regarding the difficult position that brain tumour research is currently in, and in doing so to raise crucial funds for brain tumour research.