Brain Tumour Research is today launching its Manifesto for Scotland, calling on the Scottish Government to transform outcomes for patients by investing in bridging the gap between promising laboratory data and clinical trials.
Brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer death in people under 40 in Scotland. Despite this, only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this disease since 2002. Survival rates for brain tumour patients remains devastatingly low. The average five-year survival rate for a brain cancer patient is 16.4%, compared to an average of 47.6% across all cancers.
Launched ahead of Holyrood Elections in May 2026, our 'Plan for Change’ urges Parliamentarians in Scotland to prioritise brain tumours, strengthen research support and expand collaboration. We are calling on the Scottish Government to:
- Increase funding for research into brain tumours
- Increase access to clinical trials in Scotland
- End inequalities in access to innovative genomic testing technology
Read the full manifesto and discover more about our key recommendations here.
Our Manifesto for Scotland is being launched at Holyrood today, at an event sponsored by Beatrice Wishart, MSP for the Shetland Islands, whose daughter Louise was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2012.
Among attendees will be our Patron Theo Burrell, who was diagnosed with a glioblastoma in 2022. Having undergone life-extending surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, she understands the importance of effective treatment and said: “Being diagnosed with a brain tumour is devastating enough, without finding out that patients in Scotland are being left behind in the hunt for new treatments. Options are running low for me, but I will keep fighting so that brain tumour patients now, and in the future, do not face injustice. The technology to make a difference is there – let's use it.”
Theo
Also addressing parliamentarians will be champion British swimmer, Archie Goodburn, 24. Archie was diagnosed with three incurable oligodendrogliomas in 2024.
“When I was told I had a brain tumour, the last thing I expected was that I would also have to fight to access treatment. Low grade gliomas are still cancerous and deadly. They are progressive, life changing, and incurable, yet they are too often minimised or deprioritised because they don’t fit the public perception of what cancer looks like.”
“Living with a brain tumour means living with constant uncertainty, repeated scans, and the knowledge that intervention is often delayed until irreversible damage has already occurred. Patients should not be left to navigate research gaps and clinical trial access on their own at the most frightening point of their lives.
“This country needs greater investment in research into brain tumours and fairer access to innovative treatments and trials. It should not be the responsibility of someone facing a life-changing diagnosis to join the dots,” Archie said.
Archie
Our Director of Research, Policy and Innovation, Dr Karen Noble, said: “No one facing a brain tumour diagnosis should have to face the injustice of inequity in their treatment due to the circumstances of where they live. We must ensure that Scottish patients have access to life-extending treatments. Too many still face limited or delayed access to the most promising therapies and clinical trials. We are calling for a commitment to equity of access, regardless of tumour type, location, or postcode. The Scottish Government has the power to transform outcomes for those facing the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40. The time to do things differently is now.”
To read more about our recommendations for the Scottish Government and how you can get involved in campaigning for change, click here.
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