Sign the Brain Tumour Research Petition: Dan Wilkinson's Story
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, since records began in 2002, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
One heartbreaking story is that of 34-year-old Dan Wilkinson, who passed away at home on September 14, surrounded by his loved ones. Dan, originally from Stockport, had spent 11 years in and out of hospital after a tumour was first found on his brain back in 2012.
Dan underwent a number of operations and treatments after suddenly having a seizure, which revealed the growth on his brain. Just ten days after his operation on the tumour, which was non-cancerous, he walked his mum Beverley down the aisle at her wedding. However regular check-ups and scans later revealed a tumour had returned on his brain in 2014.
Despite the news, Dan went on to marry his partner Brogan and underwent further operations, where doctors removed what they could of the tumour.
He was monitored for a number of years until 2019, when another scan then showed a tumour on his brain which had become grade-three cancerous.
Following treatment, which was delayed due to the pandemic, he then had another seizure in 2022 which showed he had developed an aggressive grade-four tumour on his brain (Glioblastoma) that was inoperable.
Doctors said there was nothing more they could do, with Dan continuing to deteriorate before he sadly passed away at home on September 14 - with his wife Brogan and two much-loved golden retrievers Teddy and Archer by his side.
Dan’s mum, Bev said - "In May this year, the doctors said there was nothing else they could do for him, he never once complained. He just got on with it and powered through. Since mid-August he was at home mainly upstairs. He didn't want to go in a hospice and wanted to be at home. He was comfortable and at peace.
"He had always been such a brave, positive person and also very matter of fact about it all. The rest of us have struggled with it and he's been saying all along that this is what he had been dealt and that we have to get on with it.
"It has all just been horrendous, you can't explain to people what it's like until you've lived through it and how heartbreaking it is. For friends and family, it has just devastated us all."
Dan's family are now sharing a petition calling on the government to increase investment into clinical brain tumour research in his memory. However, time is running out to get the much needed 100,000 signatures in the hope of prompting a parliamentary debate.
Brain tumour research needs to be recognised by the Government as a critical priority, developing a strategic plan for adequately resourcing and funding discovery, translational and clinical research, ring-fencing ￡110 million of current and new funding to kick-start this initiative. This should lead to an annual research investment of more than ￡35 million a year by 2028 from the Government and larger charities in line with the spend on cancers of breast, bowel and lung, as well as leukaemia.
For far too long governments have put brain tumours on the “too difficult to think about" pile. Five years after the Government announced ￡40 million for brain cancer research, just ￡10.7 million has been spent. Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose.
At Innov8, we’re asking our networks to take the time to sign this petition and repost Dan’s story far and wide.
A Link to the petition as well as a link to Dan’s family GoFundMe page are below, should you wish to donate:
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1 年Please sign up it is a terrible illness