Brainstrust

Wednesday 24th January 2024

  • Sarah Lindsell, the CEO and co-founder of the charity. She lost her brother to a brain tumour in 1998 and has been campaigning for more funding and awareness ever since.
  • Neil Dickson, the chair of the board. He is a chartered accountant and a partner at Deloitte. He has a personal connection to the cause, as his son was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2005.
  • Professor Richard Gilbertson, the vice-chair of the board. He is a world-renowned expert in paediatric oncology and the director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre. He has been involved in several groundbreaking studies on brain tumours and their treatment.
  • Dr Helen Bulbeck, a trustee and the director of services and policy at the charity. She is a former nurse and a brain tumour survivor. She leads the charity’s work on improving the quality of life and care for people living with brain tumours.

Founded in 2006, their vision is for everyone with a brain tumour to feel less afraid, less alone and more in control.

Last year your support helped:

2,339 people contacted our team of support specialists for help

825 new people accessed our support

404 people receive a Brain Box

We hosted 134 support events

110,928 people access our online information and support

3200 people in our online community to help each other to feel less alone.

 

Do you feel that you may have a Brain Tumor?

Symptom include

Headaches which are more severe in the morning and wake you in the night. They are usually different from headaches you might have had previously and will be persistent and worsen with time

Nausea and vomiting With a headache this can indicate increased pressure in the head (raised intracranial pressure).

Seizures A seizure is abnormal electrical impulses in the brain, causing sudden involuntary changes in movement or function, sensation, awareness, or behaviour. A first time seizure in an adult is often investigated.

Weakness, loss of sensation or numbness This is a sign of pressure on (or damage to) a specific part of the brain and can also be manifested through walking unsteadily or lack of coordination (ataxia) or muscle weakness on one side of the body (hemiparesis)

Hearing loss Instance of vision, including double vision In one or both eyes could be a symptom, if there is a tumour pressing on the optic nerve or there is one affecting the visual pathways or if there is raised intracranial pressure.

Speech difficultiesMay also include the loss of ability to write, speak or understand words. A person may have difficulty getting the right words out (expressive dysphasia) or difficulty articulating them (dysarthia).

Other brain tumour symptoms Lack of concentration, confusion, memory loss, disorientation, drowsiness, change in behaviour.

 

If this article based on information from their website has awakened any concerns you may wish to visit their website at htpps://brainstrust.org.uk to put your mind at rest or seek advice from the experts.

Back to News