Blog: Families devastated by glioblastoma (GBM) visit Research Centre

Brain Tumour Research

4 min read

Last week we were delighted to welcome a number of our supporters, all sponsoring days of research, to our Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London. Almost all the families attending had lost a loved one to a deadly glioblastoma (GBM).

Among these was Sarah Martin, who lost her 35-year-old husband Adam in 2022, as well as Rorie Rigley, who was just four years old when his father died, aged 39. Sarah (pictured above on her wedding day with Adam and their sons) is sponsoring two days of research after funeral donations and a charity ball raised more than £6,400. Meanwhile Rorie (pictured below after running the London Marathon last year and raising more than £3,000) dedicated a day of research to his dad Eamon, whose death meant his mum was left to raise five young children on her own.

Keen to hear how research was being conducted at the Centre to bring forward more effective treatments and ultimately a cure, they listened avidly to Professor Silvia Marino’s introductory presentation. Silvia, who leads the team at Queen Mary, explained that their research was focused on GBM, the most common type of primary, high-grade brain tumour in adults, as well as medulloblastoma, the most common type of brain tumour in children, and diffuse midline glioma (also known as DIPG), the leading cause of brain tumour deaths in children.

Silvia explained that all the tumour types being researched at Queen Mary share aspects in their biology, which is why the research team is looking at epigenetics and not thinking that all GBMs are the same or should be treated in the same way. As an example, Silvia pointed out that temozolamide chemotherapy doesn’t work for everyone. Silvia’s scientists are looking at how we can start creating different types of treatments that different groups of patients with the same tumour type may respond better to.

After the presentation and refreshments, one group of supporters went round the labs where scientists were on hand to demonstrate and explain the work being carried or showcase the vital, but often hugely expensive, equipment in use every day in the fight to find a cure. Among this group was Claire Pickering who lost her cousin Gary Giddings aged 47 to a GBM – Claire and Gary were very close, being just nine weeks apart in age and grew up together in Swansea. Claire, who took on a 10-mile swimathon which raised more than £3,300, was accompanied by Gary’s sister Janine Jones (Claire and Janine pictured together below).

A second group initially went to the Wall of Hope to hear an explanation about the year panels before placing their tiles representing days sponsored in memory of, or honouring, a loved one affected by a brain tumour. For many this was an emotional experience, seeing all the names and dedications on the Wall and, of course, the name of their own much-missed loved one. Among these were sisters Kay Brown and Claire Pearce, placing two tiles with their mum Susan Edmonds. They lost Barry Edmonds (pictured below with Susan), a beloved dad and husband, in May last year. Friends and family came together just a few months later in August – Barry’s birth month – to complete 1956 miles (a nod to the year Barry was born) by either taking on 10,000 Steps a Day or Cycle 274 Miles in August.

With numbers limited for touring the labs, a large extended family group arrived early to place two tiles on the Wall of Hope in memory of Peter Campbell, the beloved husband of Jude, and a wonderful stepfather to Jude’s son Lloyd. Jude took on the 96-mile West Highland Way in Scotland, raising more than £6,100. She also was one of our models for our Hat Auction last year (pictured below wearing a creation by Beverley Edmondson).

During her introduction, Silvia emphasised the significance of Brain Tumour Research’s funding, enabling sustainability of research at Queen Mary, but none of this could happen without the enormous contribution of our incredible supporters.

We are grateful to each and every one of you for helping us fund the fight. Please donate whatever you can to help ensure this vital research can continue. Together we will find a cure.