The family of a six-year-old girl have come forward with her brain tumor diagnosis after she fell ill and could no longer walk properly. Now I’m excited about the announcement of a new center studying the disease.
Indie Thomas, from Chorley, fell ill, incontinent and unable to walk properly before an inoperable mass was discovered in her brain. The Brain Tumor Research charity has announced a £2.5million funding deal to help find a cure for the deadliest of all childhood cancers.
The grant is awarded to the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), in Sutton, Surrey, where a team of scientists led by Professor Chris Jones will form the charity’s fourth center of excellence for tumor research cerebral. The new center has ambitious plans to identify new treatments for high-grade glioma brain tumors that occur in children and young adults. It will serve as a crucial bridge connecting global research and analysis of findings that will help inform and enable the creation of much-needed clinical trials.
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Indie was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma in September 2021 when she was just four years old. Her mother, Danielle Thomas, 29, said: ‘This announcement means the world to us. We can do amazing things these days, but we haven’t found a cure for brain tumors. Children should not lose their lives because of lack of public funds. Our whole world revolves around Indie Cancer, so anything that can advance research into this devastating disease is so important.
“Cancer stole Indie’s childhood, she sat up in bed feeling violently ill from treatment with little reward, and it really hurts. Our lives would be completely different if more research had been done on this type of brain tumor first.”
In the spring of 2021, Danielle and her husband Danny, 33, took Indie to Royal Preston Hospital with what they thought was a disease virus.
Danielle said: “Even the doctors thought it was a disease virus, but over time Indie lost all control of her bladder to the point of getting wet without realizing it. The GP gave her antibiotics for a waterborne infection, but by then Indie couldn’t walk properly. We returned to the hospital in September and the doctors did numerous neurological tests, followed by an MRI which revealed a large lump in the center of his brain which was filled with fluid. I was completely in shock because the doctors were adamant. Indie was fine. I just felt total panic and thought she was going to die.
Indie was transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for an operation, but the surgeon was only able to take a small sample during the biopsy due to the sensitive location of the tumour. He had a shunt installed to remove excess fluid, which helped relieve pressure behind his eyes. Indie is now on chemotherapy.
“It hurts him for days with vomiting, cold sweats, muscle cramps and body aches,” Danielle said. “It’s so wrong to pump what really is poison through your child’s veins at the best of times, even more so when you know he’s allergic to it. This drug is the only thing stopping the beast in her brain from growing and causing even more damage than it already has. The tumor took away all vision in Indie’s left eye and half of the vision in her right eye. It’s absolutely heartbreaking, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
Throughout March, Brain Tumor Awareness Month, Danielle works with Brain Tumor Research. On Saturday April 1, Danielle and Danny will be joined by family and friends on a 26-mile walk from Blackpool to Chorley to raise funds to support long-term research.
Danielle said: “Sometimes I sit and cry, but it doesn’t matter. I walk for Indie but also for all the other people who go through this. If we can raise money and raise awareness then something good will come out of this horrible mess because I don’t want it to be for nothing.
Dr. Karen Noble, Director of Research, Policy and Innovation at Brain Tumor Research, said: “The announcement of our fourth center marks an important step towards our vision of finding a cure for all types of tumors. cerebral. Led by Professor Jones, a team of experts from the ICR’s new Center of Excellence for Brain Tumor Research will lead the way in scientific research into high-grade diffuse glioma pediatric brain tumors such as the diffuse high-grade midline glioma, including DIPG. We are extremely grateful to our loyal supporters whose fundraising efforts have made this milestone possible.
“This center will serve as an international hub for the development of new treatments for children and young adults with these terrible brain tumours. Improving outcomes for children with these types of tumors is essential if we are to make progress and bring much-needed hope. a lot.”
Professor Jones, Professor of Childhood Brain Tumor Biology at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: ‘We are delighted that Brain Tumor Research is supporting our quest to find better treatments for children with brain tumors. brain cancer. These tumors are incredibly resistant to current treatments, and children desperately need new options. Our lab works day in and day out to unravel the biology behind these terrible tumors and hopefully discover new ways to attack them. This invaluable support from Brain Tumor Research will help fuel new discoveries and pave the way for smarter, gentler treatments for children diagnosed with brain tumours.
Brain tumors kill more children and adults under 40 than any other type of cancer, yet historically only 1% of national cancer research spending has been allocated to this devastating disease. Brain Tumor Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centers in the UK. He also advocates for the government and major cancer charities to invest more in brain tumor research to speed up new treatments for patients and ultimately find a cure. The charity is driving the appeal for £35m of annual national spending to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other types of cancer such as breast cancer and leukemia and also campaigns for greater drug reuse.
To donate to Danielle’s fundraising page, visit JustGiving here.
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