The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission is today announcing plans for a national network of Centres of Excellence for brain tumour treatment and care in adults.
The news comes on the second anniversary of the death of Dame Tessa Jowell who, just three months before she died, used her final parliamentary speech to suggest that all patients should benefit from the “latest and greatest science” with a focus on “living well with cancer, not just dying from it.”
Tessa’s daughter Jess Mills, who has been closely involved in designing the Tessa Jowell Centre Programme, said: “The delivery of the Tessa Jowell Centres will be a huge moment in delivering my mum’s call to action through setting a new benchmark for the outstanding delivery of care for brain cancer patients. I have been touched to see everyone work together so efficiently and have been inspired by eagerness of the brain tumour community to collectively step up and raise the bar.”
Photographed is Brain Tumour Research Chief Executive Sue Farrington Smith MBE, who represents our community on the Mission’s Joint Strategy Board, with Jess. Sue said: “Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and, historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
“We are proud that our sister charity Brainstrust has been instrumental in ensuring patients’ voices are heard in developing these initiatives.”
Helen Bulbeck, Director of Policy and Services at Brainstrust said: “Before we are patients, we are people. We are so privileged to be part of this initiative. It means that people will be able to have the wraparound care they need and to which they are entitled, so that they can have their best possible day, no matter where they are on the brain tumour pathway.
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