Bereaved mum pushes for brain tumour research cash

A bereaved mother says a government minister has pledged to "unlock" funding for brain tumour research at a meeting.

The meeting on Tuesday was organised after Sir Keir Starmer placed on record his commitment to "life-saving research" to improve outcomes for brain tumour patients.

It saw health minister Ashley Dalton welcome Laura Kurtul, from Broughton Astley in Leicestershire, whose six-year-old son Taylan died in February 2024 - nine months after he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma.

The discussion ended with a pledge from the minister to meet again in the autumn to hold further talks about the potential funding.

Ms Kurtul said sharing the story of losing her only child with the minister was "incredibly emotional and intense".

"We came out feeling heard and hopeful that we will create change together," she said.

Taylan was five when he was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in May 2023 after experiencing headaches, sickness, exhaustion, unsteadiness and poor balance.

A seven-hour operation at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham resulted in posterior fossa syndrome (PFS), which meant he was unable to sit up, walk or eat - and he lost the ability to speak.

Taylan was then put on a six-week course of proton beam therapy, an advanced form of radiotherapy.

By the time the family returned home, he seemed to be starting to return to some normality again.

However, an MRI scan in October 2023 showed tumour spread across the surface of Taylan's brain and spine, which led to his death on 9 February 2024.

At the meeting Ms Kurtul was joined by Louise Fox, from Bedfordshire, who lost her 13-year-old son, George, to a glioblastoma in April 2022.

Dan Knowles, chief executive of Brain Tumour Research also attended along with Jess Mills, daughter of the late Tessa Jowell and founder of The Tessa Jowell Foundation, and South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa, who first raised Laura's story during Prime Minister's Questions in March.

Brain Tumour Research says studies on brain tumours had received just 1% of the national spend on cancer research since records began in 2002.

"Ashley acknowledged how awful this situation is and she's very keen to work with us," said Ms Kurtul.

"She recognised that we aren't getting enough research into brain tumours and she's committed to ensuring government funding for this type of research is unlocked."

"We recognise that more needs to be done to stimulate high-quality, high-impact research into brain tumours," said the health minister.

"That is why we are committed to making a real difference for patients with brain cancer.

"We will leave no stone unturned until they get the first-class care that they deserve."

Mr Knowles also said he was excited to see "greater priorities" for brain tumours in the government's Cancer Plan, being published later this year.

Ms Kurtul said the discussion was what she was "desperate" to hear.

"I was forced to watch what this disease did to my son and I can't bear to know that this is still happening to other children," she said.

"I'm still Tay's mum but I'm his mum in a different way now. I'm his voice and I know Tay wouldn't want this to happen to other children."

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.