Today we are welcoming some amazing supporters, all Sponsoring a Day of research to our Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London.
Among these are two families whose fundraising has tragically been inspired through losing a child to a glioblastoma (GBM) brain tumour. Both families had looked abroad for treatment not available in the UK.
Louise and Matt Fox lost their 13-year-old son, known as Gorgeous George, last year, just 11 months after his diagnosis.
Nikki Treharne’s talented football-player son Ethan, died in 2021 aged 17, two years after he was diagnosed whilst preparing for his GCSEs.
All those visiting Queen Mary today have the opportunity to tour the labs led by principal investigator Professor Silvia Marino and speak to scientists about their work to find a cure for the disease, before placing tiles on the Wall of Hope.
Significantly for the Treharnes and the Fox family (pictured), they will also hear about the progress being made by the team of researchers at Queen Mary which is leading the way in research into the type of brain tumour which killed George and Ethan, the most common and aggressive form of brain tumour in adults. The focus on finding a cure for GBM, includes using GBM stem cells to help develop unique, patient-specific treatments.
Ahead of their visit to Queen Mary to place five tiles on the Wall of Hope, Louise said: “Treatments for GBM and brain tumours in general on the NHS have barely changed in decades and it’s a ‘one size fits all’ approach. It’s vital we fund research to change this so that families don’t continue to be devastated like ours has been.”