Some of our incredible supporters, whose dedication to fundraising has raised enough to sponsor a day or multiple days of research, have visited our Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth to meet the scientists they have helped fund.
The Ainslie family (pictured below) lost beloved husband and dad Craig in 2003 to an oligodendroglioma, at the age of 35. Since Craig’s death, Joanne and their now adult children, Holly and Alex, have raised more than £22,300, through epic challenges such as the Yorkshire Three Peaks and Brain Tumour Research’s Trek Sahara. Yesterday, they commemorated Craig with seven tiles on the Wall of Hope, signifying their funding of the equivalent of seven days of research.
Joanne said: “It was so moving to see Craig’s tiles in place. We were blown away by the research team and hearing them speak so enthusiastically about the work they do. It was such a privilege to see first hand how they are making a difference.”
Mum Lisa Taylor was also at the Plymouth Centre, inspired by her daughter Olivia (pictured below with Lisa), who was diagnosed in 2018, aged just 17 months old, with an optic nerve glioma, a slow-growing brain tumour behind her eyes. Heartbreakingly, Olivia lost most of her vision a month later and is now legally blind. Two years ago, Lisa and her sister Eleanor took on a night-time ascent of Ben Nevis, enabling them to place two tiles dedicated to Olivia on the Wall of Hope.
Retired police officer, Phil Bunt (pictured top, looking at the Wall of Hope), who ran the London Marathon earlier this year, was inspired by his friend Kevin Towell who he met through their shared membership in Lions Clubs International. Kevin, who was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and has undergone various treatments, including experimental therapies, was with Phil as he placed a tile on the Wall of Hope.
Brain tumour patient, Rachel Svensson, attended with her daughter Jessie (pictured below with her mum) to find out about the work being carried out at Plymouth in the quest to find a cure. She told us: “It was great to hear the scientists talking about their work and research. Like the other people in our group, we could have spent hours listening to them, learning and asking questions.
“The Wall of Hope was very moving and is a strong reminder of why people give and why you research.”
As well as placing tiles honouring loved ones lost to brain tumours, or living with one, the families attending were able to tour the labs and hear directly from the scientists about their pioneering work. The Centre’s research focuses particularly on low-grade brain tumours, which can often progress into high-grade tumours with significantly worse outcomes for patients, including schwannoma, meningioma and glioma tumours.
Our Director of Research, Policy and Innovation, Dr Karen Noble said: “Every tile placed on the Wall of Hope is a poignant tribute to a life impacted and every donation is a lifeline. It fuels the ground-breaking research taking place at our Centres of Excellence, drives progress in developing better treatment options for patients, and brings us closer to finding a cure for this devastating disease.”
(credit Black Square Photography)
Professor David Parkinson, Lead Investigator at Plymouth (pictured above last weekend doing our Torpoint Walk of Hope), said: “Lab tours are great and a big part of our work is to explain to patients about our research focus and how we can hopefully make a difference for patients with similar kinds of brain tumours. And the Wall of Hope – it’s always quite humbling to walk past and reflect on the effort people have made to raise money for the Charity. It really boosts our resolve in the lab to bring about better outcomes for patients.”
If you have been inspired, you can make a donation here to help sustain our research.
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