A woman whose sister has been diagnosed with a brain tumour is helping to fund researchers looking for a cure for the disease. In recognition of her contribution, she was invited to meet scientists and tour the lab where vital research is taking place.

Annabel Gallifant, 41, from Henley, ran the London Marathon earlier this year for the Brain Tumour Research charity, inspired by her sister Vanessa Fewell, who was diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma brain tumour in 2016, aged 40, when her three children were all under the age of 12. Vanessa underwent surgery and then had to endure gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment which only finished just before Christmas last year. Her future is uncertain and she has to undergo regular scans to check for regrowth of the tumour.

On Wednesday 20^th June, Annabel was among a number of guests invited by national charity Brain Tumour Research to visit its Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London to see how funds contribute to research. Also on the visit was Debbie McGee who is working with the charity since she lost her husband Paul Daniels to a brain tumour, along with Paul’s son Gary.

The centre, one of four receiving funding from Brain Tumour Research, is focused on research to improve treatments for patients with brain tumours and, ultimately, finding a cure. Led by Professor Silvia Marino, the team at the centre are studying glioblastoma tumours – one of the most aggressive and deadly types of brain cancer.

Annabel, who works in Marlow for the pharmaceutical company Allergan, as Vice President of Marketing (Eye Care), has to date raised more than £4,700 for the Brain Tumour Research charity. She said: “Today has been a fantastic opportunity to see how we are making a difference to researchers.

“Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. They 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.”

Michael Thelwall, Head of Community Fundraising at the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “We are very grateful to Annabel for supporting research at our Centre of Excellence. We are really pleased she has been to see the research taking place at Queen Mary University of London. Stories like Vanessa’s remind us all that we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue.”

To make a donation to Annabel’s fundraising, inspired by Vanessa, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/anna-heywood-gallifant

To make a donation to Brain Tumour Research go to www.braintumourresearch.org/donation

For further information, please contact:
Liz Fussey at Brain Tumour Research on 07811 068357 or Liz@braintumourresearch.org

Notes to Editors

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours. We have established a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, over £6 million was raised towards research and support during 2017.

We are campaigning to see the national spend on research into brain tumours increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast cancer and leukaemia. The unprecedented success of our 2015 petition led to the 2016 Westminster Hall debate and Brain Tumour Research taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research with the report being published in 2018.

Key statistics on brain tumours:

• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• They kill more children than leukaemia
• They kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer
• They kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
• Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease
• In the UK 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour
• Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
• Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
• Incidences of, and deaths from, brain tumours are increasing.

Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. Additional facts and statistics are available from our website including our latest Report on National Research Funding. We can also provide case-studies and research expertise for media.