The Milton Keynes South MP is pictured with the charity’s chief executive Sue Farrington-Smith at an event held in the Speaker’s House at Westminster to mark the month of awareness and the charity’s Wear a Hat Day which takes place next Friday (March 31).
The event provided a platform for guests to talk to MPs about how they can help boost research into the disease.
Famous names also at the event, hosted by Brain Tumour Research patron John Bercow MP, included Debbie McGee who lost her husband the magician and entertainer Paul Daniels to a brain tumour.
Mr Stewart is a long-time supporter of Brain Tumour Research’s work and has campaigned in Parliament for greater awareness of brain tumours and increased funding for research into a cure.
He said: “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.”
FACT FILE
- Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
- 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.
- Only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to research into a cure for brain tumours.
FAMILY entertainment company 360 Play has been partnering with Brain Tumour Research for Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March.
Customers at its centre in Knowlhill have been making donations and staff have been encouraging visitors to take part in Brain Tumour Research’s UK-wide fundraising event, Wear A Hat Day next Friday (March 31).
Centre manager Serena Lawrence said: “We were shocked to discover that brain tumours can be so deadly and that they claim the lives of more children and adults under 40 (who are often parents with young children) than any other cancer.”
Wear A Hat Day will see schools, workplaces, families and individuals across the UK fundraising and taking part in all manner of hat-themed fun events to raise awareness of brain tumours and help fund life-saving research. Funds raised through 2017’s event will develop the charity’s network of world-class brain tumour research centres in the UK.
Celebrated milliner Stephen Jones, who cared for a terminally ill friend, actress and broadcaster Sheila Hancock, whose grandson was successfully treated, and singer, songwriter and record producer John Newman are also backing the campaign.
Mr Newman is awaiting treatment for his second brain tumour.
