We send our sincere congratulations to Tina Mitchell Skinner (pictured top left), the founder of the Brain Tumour Support charity, who is receiving a well-deserved MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.
Tina lost her first husband Paul Mitchell (pictured below) to a glioblastoma in January 2003, 18 months after diagnosis. When Paul became ill, it quickly became apparent to the couple that there was a real lack of support available. Before Paul died, the charity Hammer Out was born – named after Paul’s beloved football team, West Ham United. It was later renamed Brain Tumour Support.
In the early days, Tina offered support for people feeling isolated from her home telephone line and organised small local meetings to share experiences with others going through a similar journey.
Today, the charity provides individualised support for patients and families affected by any type of brain tumour for as long as it is needed. Working closely with healthcare professionals across the UK, it has developed a team of regional support workers who offer ongoing one-to-one and group help, alongside telephone and online support and information, and a specialist counselling service, including end-of-life and bereavement care.
Our relationship with Brain Tumour Support dates back to 2009 when, as Hammer Out, it was one of 14 brain tumour charities who got together to launch an umbrella charity, to be known as Brain Tumour Research, with a mission to raise awareness and increase funding for vital research on a national level.
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