Rugby MP Mark Pawsey joined local residents Peter and Liz Realf, alongside other Parliamentarians and representatives of Brain Tumour Research, in Parliament to mark Brain Tumour Awareness month and a year of successful campaigning.
Following the tragic death of Peter and Liz’s son, Stephen, from a brain tumour, the couple and their daughter, Maria Lester, have campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of the disease and to help get the funding that Brain Tumour Research needs. Their efforts last year saw a Parliamentary petition go all the way to the top, triggering a Parliamentary inquiry and debate into Brain Tumour funding. During the debate, Mark spoke about the work done by the Realf family to draw awareness to the challenges faced by those with a brain tumour.
Subsequently the Government has, as a result of the Realf’s campaign, established a working group comprising of clinicians, researchers, charities, Government officials and patient representation, the group will be addressing the need to increase the level and impact of brain tumour research.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. On top of this, incidence has risen by 19% between 2002 and 2014 even without including the thousands of secondary brain tumours diagnosed every year. Less than 20% of brain tumour patients survive beyond five years of their diagnosis – compared with 86% for breast cancer and 51% for leukaemia.
Speaking after the receptions, Mark commented:
“It was an honour to join Peter, Liz and Maria in Parliament for Wear a Hat Day in support of Brain Tumour Research. Their determination to ensure that brain tumour research gets the recognition it deserves has really made a difference in this important field.”
Mark continued:
“It is essential that the UK leads the way in investing in research into brain tumours. There is currently not enough investment into treatments and the basic understanding of this awful disease and the UK should embrace funding and new ways of fighting this disease. I hope that Brain Tumour Awareness month is a success in raising the public’s knowledge and funding for this devastating disease and I would like to thank Brain Tumour Research for all they have done in organising events across the country.”
Peter Realf added:
“We were very pleased to have our local MP, Mark Pawsey, supporting us at Westminster once again, hearing first- hand the difficulties faced by those living with brain tumours, and from Debbie McGee describing losing her husband, magician Paul Daniels, to a brain tumour last year. So much progress has been made in the last 12 months, and we are optimistic similar progress will continue throughout this year with the formation of the Minister’s task & Finish Working Group on Brain Tumours. “