This morning’s meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumours (APPGBT) saw members of the brain tumour community come together virtually to discuss the issues experienced by those facing a devastating diagnosis.
The Wanted singer Tom Parker (pictured) opened the meeting speaking about his own diagnosis with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in October 2020. He expressed his frustration at the lack of options for brain tumour patients and spoke about the “truly horrific” nature of his gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.
He said: “I’m staggered they can find a cure for COVID-19 within a year but can’t find better treatments and ultimately a cure for brain tumours for decades on end.”
Speaking alongside Tom was his ‘brain tumour brother’, Dave Bolton. Also living with a GBM, Dave described his own experience of the “brutal” treatment and shared the “alarming” statistics surrounding brain tumours.
Other members of the brain tumour community also shared their own moving stories, including Charlie Sharpe who explained about the impact of his own treatment, Holly Roberts who spoke about the tragic death of her son Larsen, and Nicki Hopkins who sadly lost her husband Dave to a GBM just a matter of weeks ago.
The progress of the Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence Programme was shared by Dr Nicky Huskens, Director of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.
The meeting closed with an update on the ‘Pathway to a Cure – breaking down the barriers’ inquiry from our Chief Executive Sue Farrington Smith MBE, during which she outlined the context of the inquiry, progress and next steps.
Sue said: “It is high time that brain tumour research is given parity with other cancers such as leukemia and breast cancer. This inquiry will break down the barriers and provide the pathway to achieving this.”
Full minutes from the meeting will be posted to our website in due course. To stay up to date with all the latest campaigning updates from Brain Tumour Research, please complete this online form to campaign with us.
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