Today, 21ˢᵗ January, would have been the 18th birthday of Shayen Patel, the inspiration behind our Member Charity Shay’s Smiles.
Known to loved ones as Shay, the keen footballer was diagnosed in 2018 with a glioblastoma. Despite seeking pioneering experimental treatments in Germany and the USA, Shay’s parents Niki and Deenu lost him on 1ˢᵗ September 2020 at the age of 13.
While he was alive, Shay and his family set up Shay’s Smiles to help children with life-threatening illnesses access specialist medical treatments – as well as funding vital research into finding a cure for all types of brain tumours.
Brain Tumour Research will be forever thankful to Shay’s Smiles for its investment of £143,657 into glioblastoma research at the Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London.
Speaking three years ago, on what would have been Shay’s 15ᵗʰ birthday, his mum Niki said: “During Shay’s journey we met so many patients – including children – with glioblastoma, many of whom have since passed. There will be no change and no hope without more funding for research.
“We can’t let another 10 years go by, destroying families and taking more and more young children from their parents.”
Our thoughts are with Shay’s family and all of his loved ones today.
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Published Tuesday 21ˢᵗ January 2025.