The bereaved daughter of a Stevenage cyclist is campaigning for more research funding during glioblastoma awareness week (July 15 to 21).
Philip Brooks, 67, from Stevenage, died in March 2022 only three months after he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) following episodes of “talking nonsense”.
His daughter Nikky Vass, 34, who lives in Gamlingay, said: “Our family has been devastated by brain tumours. Dad never got to meet his newest grandson Noah who was born four months later and he never got to enjoy his retirement.
“Dad began saying things that didn’t make sense during conversations with my mum. One time after being with friends, he talked about needing to pay for some fruit, which had no context.”
Nikky and Vanessa training for their charity ride (Image: Brain Tumour Research)
As well as campaigning for more investment into research, Nikky and her mum, Vanessa, 63, are planning to cycle from London to Paris in September to help raise money for the charity.
After what was believed to be a stroke, a CT scan highlighted a lesion on Philip’s brain.
Multiple seizures then left the cyclist with life-changing injuries. Nikky said she "could not comprehend” the lack of treatment options for her father.
“We have seen advances in other diseases, kinder treatments and a cure for brain tumours seem to have been left behind,” she said.
Philip is not alone. Each year, 3,200 people are diagnosed with a GBM, the most diagnosed high-grade brain tumour in adults, which has an average survival time of just 12-18 months.
Vanessa and Philip in 1983 (Image: Brain Tumour Research)
Despite this, treatments for GBM have not changed in two decades and there is no cure.
Speaking during GBM Awareness Week, Nikky is campaigning with the charity, Brain Tumour Research to shine a spotlight on the disease.
She said: “His consultant said surgery on his brain tumour was going to be too much of a risk compared to the reward. This combined with Dad’s age ruled out treatment such as radiotherapy and chemo.
Philip on a bike ride (Image: Brain Tumour Research)
"I asked if there were any other options to try and save my dad which were met with a lack of enthusiasm, and we were told he had six months to live.”
For further information about GBM Awareness Week, visit: https://braintumourresearch.org/pages/gbm-awareness-week
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