The Gardiner family from Buckinghamshire are marking the third anniversary of losing their son, Ollie, to a brain tumour by supporting our petition for increased national investment into brain tumour research.
Ollie Gardiner was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour, aged 10. Despite undergoing a number of craniotomies, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Ollie’s cancer returned and was found to have spread throughout his brain and into his spine. Ollie’s family and friends launched an appeal which raised almost £500,000 to fund pioneering treatment, but nothing could save Ollie and he passed away on 19th November 2017.
Last year Ollie’s parents, Peter and Jane, donated £187,500 to fund Dr Sara Badodi, a postdoctoral research assistant working with the research team at our Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London to develop new treatment strategies to inhibit the progression of aggressive medulloblastoma.
Now, Peter and Jane are supporting our petition calling on the Government and larger cancer charities to increase national investment to £35 million a year to give parity of funding with other cancers such as breast, prostate and leukaemia. Peter was interviewed on BBC Three Counties Radio where he spoke about the vital need for increased investment, and the family’s story has been featured in the Bucks Herald.
Peter said: “Knowing that Ollie’s legacy is helping push forward the search for a brain tumour cure is some comfort. There is still so much to learn and understand about this devastating disease, but the research is so poorly funded.
“Please sign Brain Tumour Research’s petition calling for increased investment to help find a cure.”
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