A determined young woman living by her motto to “go big or go home” is helping Brain Tumour Research launch its Christmas Appeal to help find a cure for the disease.
Joscelyne Kerr was just 17 years old when she was diagnosed with a very rare brain tumour in December 2023. The tumour was later identified as an anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (APXA) – a condition with no other known cases in Scotland – and Joscelyne was given a prognosis of just 12 to 18 months.
After standard radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment failed to stop the tumour from growing, Joscelyne was put on a trial drug. In May 2024, she and her family received the positive news that her tumour had shrunk.
“The medications gave me all sorts of side effects, including sickness and tiredness, but I was relieved to hear this news as it gives me more time to raise funds, find a better treatment, and hopefully live longer,” she said.
Last year, Joscelyne was determined to make Christmas the best one yet, celebrating with her family, seeing close friends and dressing up for a black-tie New Year’s dinner.
She is now enjoying studying astrophysics at Edinburgh University and has recently returned to her former love of ballet. She said: “I’m not letting this tumour define me. I’m going to keep fighting, keep smiling, and keep inspiring others to do the same.”
Joscelyne is one of the supporters sharing her story as part of our Christmas Appeal. Together they are helping to show how brain tumours are indiscriminate and can affect anyone at any age.
You can help us change the story for families affected by brain tumours. A donation of just £5 to our Christmas Appeal will help us fund cutting-edge research to find new, kinder treatments. As well as supporting our important campaigning work, it will help fund world-leading research teams to deepen our understanding of the disease in order to improve patient outcomes. Your donation will help us push the boundaries of scientific research to ultimately find cures for all types of brain tumours. Will you join our fight?
To donate £5 to our Christmas Appeal, please click here.
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