The team at our Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London gave a warm welcome to some of our dedicated supporters yesterday, giving them the opportunity to find out in depth about the work being conducted there in our mission to find a cure for all brain tumours.
Professor Silvia Marino gave an insightful presentation about their work which particularly focuses on glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive and most common primary high-grade brain tumour in adults, and one which has affected the majority of the families who attended.
Actress and supporter Vicki Michelle MBE (pictured left with Prof Silvia Marino), currently on our screens in EastEnders, attended. Earlier this year, Vicki modelled one of the 22 Crowning Glory hats to celebrate the Coronation which are being auctioned to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research. She was keen to hear more about the work being conducted at Queen Mary as her sister has only recently undergone surgery for glioblastoma.
Jo and Bernard Crossey, who placed six tiles on the Wall of Hope at Queen Mary, lost their son Sean to a GBM in September 2018. He was 27 and had undergone three brain surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Just three months before his death, Sean married his long-term partner, Laura.
We are grateful to the Crossey family for all their fundraising and campaigning activities which have included Jo supporting our Host for Hope and Wear A Hat Day campaigns and Bernard organising and participating in a Coast to Coast walk from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, carrying Sean’s ashes.
Bernard said: “I hope our fundraising will make a difference for everyone going forward who has a brain tumour.
“It was emotional placing Sean’s tiles on the Wall of Hope, but heartening to hear from the scientists about the work being undertaken in their quest to find a cure.”