Anni was a kind and caring woman to whom colleagues naturally turned, making her an ideal person to head up HR at her company. Tragically, Anni was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, aged 63, and died just six months later in 2012. Her death inspired the Anni Hofmann Foundation, which joined the Brain Tumour Research family as a Member Charity in 2026.
Here is Anni’s story, as told by her stepson, Harald…
Anni was warm, caring and kind, the person everyone naturally turned to – and perfectly suited to her role as Head of HR and Accounting. My parents divorced in 1992 and later my dad began a relationship with Anni, who worked in his business.
In 2011, my wife Carolyn and I relocated from the USA back to Germany. Dad was gradually stepping away from the day-to-day operations of the company with retirement in mind, and I was preparing to take over.
Within months of my return, we started to notice worrying changes in Anni. She would say odd things, such as wishing people a “nice weekend” on a Monday and it was clear her cognitive function was changing.
Anni also complained of feeling constantly exhausted and, quite unlike her usual self, was frequently calling in sick.
Concerned and keen to understand what was happening, Dad and Anni sought medical advice. They secured an appointment in Munich with eminent neurosurgeon Professor Tonn, and in 2012, Anni was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain tumour.
She underwent neurosurgery in Munich under Professor Westphal, a leading expert in glioblastoma surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite this, nothing could halt the progression of the tumour and Anni died just six months after her diagnosis.
In Anni’s memory, my dad Oscar Wack created the Anni Hofmann Foundation to bring hope to other families affected. The charity exclusively supports medical research into glioblastoma, focusing on how the body can defend itself against cancer and how healthy cell generation can be stabilised.
In 2026, we became a Member Charity of Brain Tumour Research because we believe collaboration is vital – it shouldn’t matter whether breakthroughs come from a UK team, a German team, or researchers anywhere in the world.
The more scientists work together, the better the chances of achieving our shared goal: a cure for this devastating type of brain tumour, from which just 4% of patients survive for five years or more.
Harald Wack
July 2026
One in three people in the UK knows someone affected by a brain tumour. This disease is indiscriminate; it can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, to date, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.
Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this.
