Cancer Research Wales has announced the establishment of Wales’ first research hub dedicated to brain tumours. With a target to invest up to £1m a year, the goal is to bring together leading experts in a concerted effort to better understand this debilitating disease. Each year approximately 500 people in Wales are diagnosed with brain tumours, necessitating the need for research to gain a better understanding of the condition. Alex Aghili Kordmahale, a 50-year-old patient from Abergavenny, spoke of the terror she felt after her brain tumour diagnosis. Although she has since undergone treatment and surgery, she feels the lack of progress in research into brain tumours deepens the anxiety for those who have undergone treatment: “One of the main issues with brain tumours is they do say they re-occur, but knowing that research is in place most definitely gives me hope,” she said.
While she feels fortunate that she has returned to an almost normal life, Alex continued: “I think I am who I used to be, but I do think it has taken something away from me.” She notes the financial impact, especially during the pandemic and the ongoing need for follow-up MRI scans every six months.
Dr Lee Campbell, head of research at Cancer Research Wales, says that funding bodies have historically invested less than 2% of their funding into researching brain tumours. He added: “Numerous studies have shown the more research-intensive your local health body is, the better outcomes are for patients living in that area.” He expressed disappointment that Wales has missed out on funding opportunities but is aiming to redress this inequity. The primary focus will be on innovative research, with an emphasis on connecting Wales with other centres around the world.
Some of the money will be designated toward funding travel fellowships, enabling clinicians to travel to other countries to master new techniques in neurosurgery and radiotherapy for the benefit of Welsh patients. Through this hub, Cancer Research Wales aims to improve the outlook for brain tumour sufferers in Wales, many of whom currently face a bleak future
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