“I had my brain tumour 35 years ago, but I still live with the impact of it every day”

​​​​​Laura Peggs, 45, of Putnoe, was diagnosed with an ependymoma aged 10. As a result of a craniotomy and radiotherapy treatment, she lives with profound hearing and sight loss, mobility deficiencies and chronic pain.

Sharing her story with Brain Tumour Research during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM), Laura said: “I know that the type of brain tumour I am living with has a very poor prognosis so I was very lucky to survive. However, I think the most frustrating thing about them is because it’s your brain which affects all your body, if you survive the tumour, you can be left with all sorts of disabilities.”

Unlike most children starting Year 6, Laura faced an eight-hour operation to debulk her tumour and have a shunt fitted, followed by radiotherapy.

After more than 30 years of stable scans, she attends regular medical appointments for pain management, and she relies on a wheelchair to get around.

Despite her diagnosis, Laura worked as a pastoral assistant after studying A-Levels and gained a degree in molecular biology at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

Laura said: “I’ve become very resourceful, I’ve had to. I’ve found a new way of doing things and think it’s important to share all sides of a brain tumour diagnosis. My desire to learn has overridden any fears. By speaking out, I hope I can help others feel less alone and show that there is life, strength and even creativity beyond a diagnosis.”

Laura has raised more than £700 for Brain Tumour Research – which campaigns for greater investment into brain tumour research to speed up new treatments – by needle felting pin badges as part of the charity’s Wear A Hat Day.

She also advocates for disability awareness and in 2022 took part in the charity’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge using a four-wheeled walker.

She said: “When I went through my brain tumour treatment in the 80s, the options were harsh and limited, and although there’s been progress since then, patients today are still left facing gruelling therapies that can cause life-long disabilities.

“I often feel survivors’ guilt, knowing so many friends have died from this disease, and it makes me even more determined to see brain tumours made a priority. We urgently need research that delivers kinder, less invasive treatments and real hope for the future.”

In research funded by the charity at its Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London, scientists are working on personalised treatments for aggressive childhood brain tumours such as ependymoma. By studying how certain genes switch on and off, they hope to find kinder, more effective therapies.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re grateful to Laura for her continued support in raising awareness and campaigning. The number of brain tumour diagnosis has increased by 11% in the last decade. There are more than 100 different types of brain tumour, making them notoriously difficult to find effective treatments for, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002. Laura’s story is one of determination and we wish her well for the future.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.

To read more and donate to Brain Tumour Research this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, visit: https://braintumourresearch.org/pages/childhood-cancer-awareness-month