Hello,
It is an unusual update this week, as we are writing it mid-week due to a rather hectic end that is hurtling toward us.
Firstly, Hugh is heading to Manchester to appear on BBC Breakfast on Thursday alongside our newly announced Patron Sarah Beeny, and then he is going to London to join our Gala Dinner at The Dorchester as we launch our report Closer to a Cure – 15 Years of Impact, which highlights game-changing achievements, such as:
- Using a ‘bionic eye’ to enhance precision and safety in brain tumour surgery
- Repurposing HIV medication to treat schwannoma and meningioma tumours
- Accurately detecting high-grade brain tumours with a blood test, negating the need for invasive biopsies
- Accelerating the launch of clinical trials for children with high-grade gliomas
- Developing less invasive treatments for meningioma
Since its launch in 2009, Brain Tumour Research has remained committed to finding a cure for all types of brain tumours through sustainable research, contributing £46.4 million to national investment. It has supported more than 130 research projects through its funded initiatives and at its five Centres of Excellence at Imperial College London, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, Queen Mary University of London, University of Plymouth, and the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence which officially launched in January 2025. Our Centre at the University of Portsmouth was funded from 2010 and retired in 2019.
We look forward to sharing more details of the Dorchester event, but keep an eye on our social media – you’ll be amazed at who is joining us to mark the Report launch!
On Friday morning Hugh and Thomas will be at Westminster to support Scott Arthur MP and the Second Reading of his Rare Cancers Bill – again there will be an update on this next week but keep an eye on our Latest News page too.
Some positive news this week is that former Government minister Lord Willetts has been appointed the first Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), to lead a team focused on bringing emerging technologies like drones delivering medicines or AI training software for surgeons to market quickly and safely to improve lives.
The RIO was launched in October 2024 to cut red tape which unnecessarily impedes on new technologies coming to market and stunts growth, instead pivoting to a streamlined and pro-innovation environment that allows people across the UK to reap the real, positive impact of new tech safely and quickly.
Lord Willetts brings a wealth of experience in science policy, regulation and leadership to the post, and was Minister for Universities and Science from 2010 to 2014.
We look forward to future engagement with Lord Willets and wish him luck in his new, vitally important role.
We are also happy to promote a study which aims to understand the care and support needs of adults with long-term neurological conditions (LTNCs), such as brain tumours, strokes, epilepsy, functional seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, dementia and others, and their unmet healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is being carried out by Ebere Ugwuodo (EU) as phase 3 of a project for the award of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread disruption of healthcare services which we were not prepared for. This was particularly true for neurological services. Ebere is conducting this study to hear the views and experiences of people with long-term neurological conditions to see how it impacted on their lives. She hopes to be able to identify any gaps in care and support, and identify their met and unmet healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This information will be used to help us be better prepared for any future pandemics or global healthcare crises.
If you would like to support Ebere’s work and are happy to share your own experiences, contact her directly using the details in the promotional leaflet below.
Next week’s update will reflect more activity during Brain Tumour Awareness Month as we head to Cardiff and Edinburgh, promoting our work and the need for change to the devolved Governments of Wales and Scotland.
Find out all about it next Friday.
Wishing you all a peaceful time until then,
Karen, Hugh and Thomas.