The biennial Cancer Research UK Brain Tumour Conference returned last week for its in-person meeting, bringing together the brightest minds in research into brain tumours to showcase new discoveries and spark new collaborations.
The conference, attended by our CEO Dan Knowles, Director of Research, Policy and Innovation Dr Karen Noble and Research Communications Manager Nicola Gale (all pictured below), hosted a variety of sessions, ranging from artificial intelligence/machine learning in brain tumour research and diagnosis to current clinical trials and their challenges.
Brain Tumour Research funded PhD student, Sara Lucchini, presented work from our Research Centre at Queen Mary’s to the 300 strong group on glioblastoma recurrence.
A standout talk came from from Dr Catherine Pickworth of Cancer Research UK (CRUK) who shared her personal brain tumour story while highlighting the impact of research on patients.
It was inspiring to see the advancements being made in brain tumour research, and it would be incredibly difficult to leave the conference without a sense of hope for what is to come for brain tumour patients. At the end of the event Dr Noble said: “This was a terrific conference and brought together some of the world’s leading brain tumour researchers. All of our centres had representatives at the event and it was great to catch up with them. Huge thanks to CRUK for supporting this and for their endeavours in the brain tumour space."
Brain tumours are one of CRUK’s strategic priorities and this was backed up by an announcement at the conference that they are renewing the investment into two Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence with a further £8 million over the next five years.
Brain tumours aren’t ‘one’ of our strategic priorities, they are the only one and so if you want to fund a charity where you can be certain your money will go directly to dedicated brain tumour research then your choice must be Brain Tumour Research. Rest assured too that our clarion call for greater Government investment into brain tumour research will continue and thank you all for the work you do to amplify the noise we make, It really does make a difference.
Thomas was in Birmingham this week at the Conservative Party Conference at which, as at the Labour Conference the previous week, he was a part of the Heath Charity Showcase alongside colleagues from across the health landscape.
Organised by Hanover Communications, we were proud to be part of an event providing health charities with an opportunity to share recommendations, research and stories of lived experience.
As you'll see from the pop up banner photograph below we stood alongside charities far greater in size than ours, but were there to make sure the voice of the brain tumour community was heard loud and clear.
Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Victoria Atkins thanked the charities present for “helping people with some of the most complex, and also most difficult, most painful, most stressful conditions.”
She added that choosing from the charity participants was like “choosing between your favourite children” and how proud she was to have worked with every single one of them during her time at the Department of Health.
Ms. Atkins struck a positive tone, with her remarks, saying: “You are part of the future, and the cures for the future.”
At Conference, Ms. Atkins said she had spent a lot of time speaking to people in the Life Sciences sector because she believed “in the power of science”, and had absolute confidence that scientists could push the boundaries of research to create important breakthroughs.
The Shadow Health Secretary ended by saying that she would hold the Government to account but would also work with them constructively “to ensure we get the best results for the people you’re looking after, and the families of loved ones suffering from these conditions.”
Thomas said: “When charities come together at such events, they bring with them all of their expertise and experience, and it is truly empowering. I thank the Shadow Secretary of State for attending the event, for appreciating the work that’s going on, and for realising the potential. Together we will find a cure for brain tumours.”
In wider comment about the conference, Thomas said: "Perhaps the most interesting fringe event I attended at Conference was hosted by The Health and Care Forum, on the life sciences sector. The event titled “Boosting UK health and wealth through Life Sciences Research" boasted a stellar panel of experts.
"There was a consensus, amongst the panellists, that by growing the life sciences sector, the UK’s health, and in turn its wealth, would also be boosted. Dr Valentine, Executive Director of Innovation and Research ABPI, said that health data was key to unlocking the real potential of the Life Sciences. Dr Greated, Executive Director Campaign for Science and Engineering, urged organisations, charities and politicians to make the case for research saying, 'We cannot be complacent. We need to make a compelling argument why more research needs to be done.'
"George Freeman MP, who I later met to discuss Brain Tumour Research’s campaigning work (pictured below), called for a radical localisation of integrated care. He said trials needed to be democratised and digitalised, and that we must understand the real cost of disease and the treatment of it.
"Georgina Carr, CEO of the Neurological Alliance, said we have to create the right conditions to enable better and more equitable research for neurological conditions, including brain tumours. This could be achieved by involving people in the decision-making process."
You can read more from Thomas on his week in Birmingham in his party conference blog which can be accessed here.
At a more local level this week I, alongside our Founder, former Chief Exec and now Trustee, Sue Farrington Smith MBE, met with our new MP Callum Anderson. He was generous with his time and we took the opportunity to give him a history of the charity focusing on our constituency campaigning work that started with John Bercow (then MP for Buckingham), continued with Greg Smith (now MP for mid-Bucks) and will now continue, hopefully with Callum.
He is already committed to support Wear A Hat Day next March but we hope that with his new position as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) in the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology he can keep our cause front of mind and that he will also decide to become a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumours (APPGBT). We definitely look forward to a long association with Callum and thank him for the advice and support he provided yesterday.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) invests public money in research which aims to improve human health. The MRC funds laboratory research, development of new treatments including vaccines and drugs, and research with people, such as clinical trials and population studies.
Cancer research is one of the areas that receives money to study why cancers appear, how to treat them and how to improve patients’ lives.
The MRC wants to optimise its impact on cancer research by ensuring it is informed by a range of views and experiences, including members of the public, patients, carers, and the groups and organisations that represent them, as well as scientists and clinicians.
They want to hear from adults who are:
- Cancer patients (current or former)
- Family members, friends, or carers of someone diagnosed with cancer
- Members of the public
They are looking for people to take part in one of three 2-hour online discussions to help them develop their future priorities in cancer research.
You can find out more here:
MRC Cancer Research Public and Patient Discussion Groups - UK Research and Innovation - Citizen Space (ukri.org)
Finally, this week has provided some time for reflection.
After the meeting with our MP (see above) Sue and I discussed, among other things, her decision 14 years ago to employ someone with no charity experience and to take a chance on me as she began to grow our Charity.
On 1st October 2010 I began my career at Brain Tumour Research and 14 years later I can honestly say that working in the UK brain tumour community has been the honour and privilege of my life.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sue, who nurtured my talents and tolerated my faults. In the past 14 years we have raised millions, funded research centres, spoken on national media and campaigned at the highest political level. The aim remains, and will always be, to find a cure for all types of brain tumours.
Thank you to all you who have been on the journey with me – it has been quite a ride and it's definitely not over yet.
We will be back next Friday.
Wishing you all a peaceful time until then.
Hugh, Thomas & Evan