A packed room of APPGBT attendees

Challenging UK governments and larger cancer charities to invest more in brain tumour research

At the APPGBT meeting, The Brain Tumour Charity presented on its Better Safe Than Tumour campaign, sharing ways attendees could help promote the campaign to raise awareness of brain tumour symptoms.

Parliamentarians also heard about Tumour Treating Fields (TTFields) from Hilary Duckworth, Novocure UK & Ireland Country Manager, and Dr Matt Williams.

TTFields are a cancer treatment approach that uses electric fields to disrupt cell division in cancerous cells, resulting in cell death. TTFields have been shown to be effective for solid type tumours, including glioblastoma (GBM).

This technology was worn by Dame Tessa Jowell during her seminal speech in the House of Lords, when she movingly advocated for the need to improve diagnosis rates and improve patient access to cutting-edge treatment.

It was a landmark moment for the brain tumour community and part of the momentum that had been building since 2016 when, following the e-petition started by Maria Realf in memory of her brother Stephen, the Petitions Committee published a landmark report on funding for brain tumour research. There was a Westminster Hall debate, the establishment of a Task and Finish Working Group, and a government commitment to invest £40 million over five years.

After five years we believe that significantly less than 50% of the £40 million has been deployed. This is deeply disappointing and to make improvements in this area is one of the reasons why we must take forward the key learnings from the inquiry and break down the barriers to greater research funding.

Hugh added: “Two decades ago we were shouting outside Westminster and now we are talking inside. Change can’t come soon enough and we will continue to campaign, to ask questions and to demand answers on behalf of all those affected by brain tumours.”