A Stewartry woman whose husband died of a brain tumour attended the official opening of a new research centre focused on finding a cure for the disease.
Jill Rennie, from Gatehouse, hailed the opening of the new Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence in Edinburgh as “great news” for Scotland.
Her husband David died from glioblastoma (GBM) in November 2023 at the age of 62. Since then, she has raised money towards the cost of the new centre – including through a tractor run with the Retired Farming Social Group.
Jill, 62, said: “David’s disease was awful and I want to make a difference for other people by turning something terrible into something positive. Having this centre is just fantastic. It’s great news for Scotland and for those dealing with this horrendous disease. To be at the official opening is so uplifting and it gives me great hope as it feels like we’re making progress in the search for a cure.”
The new centre aims to find a cure for GBM, which kills more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer and often has a prognosis of as little as 12 months.
Brain Tumour Research and Beatson Cancer Charity are investing £2.4million in the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence and researchers from both Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities will work together in a bid to identify promising new treatments and get patients into clinical trials.
Chief executive of Brain Tumour Research, Dan Knowles, said: “This is hugely significant for the brain tumour community in Scotland who, thanks to their generous support, have helped make the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence a reality. GBM patients desperately need new, improved treatments, so I welcome the prospect of more clinical trials being created for patients which will lead to better and kinder treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
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CEO of Beatson Cancer Charity, Gillian Hailstones, said: “We hear first-hand, from the patients and families we support, how devastating this disease can be and the significant and lasting impact that it has on families.
“The generosity of our supporters and donors demonstrates the level of commitment there is across Scotland to change the future for those affected by brain tumours. Thanks to their generosity, today’s centre opening marks the start of that change.”