Diss mum whose son Callum died from a brain tumour is calling on the government for greater research funding

The bereaved mother of a 15-year-old boy who died from a brain tumour has spoken about her hopes of seeing a cure developed after backing a recent petition asking the government to invest more in to research.

Michelle Doe, from Diss, lost her son Callum Doe in August 2020, just 20 months after he was first diagnosed with a diffuse midline glioma brain tumour.

In the days leading up to Christmas 2018, Callum, who had always been healthy, suffered with headaches, vomiting and double vision which were put down to a tummy bug. After he had an episode which turned out to be a seizure while the family were watching the film Nativity, Callum was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“It was terrifying because I’d lost an uncle to a brain tumour a couple of years previously. I remember feeling completely numb,” said Mrs Doe.

“Until it happens to you, you don’t realise how common brain tumours are. You think it’s a disease that affects old people, but when it affects your teenage son, it’s quite a shock. A bombshell.

“The treatment for childhood brain tumours is barbaric and too often ineffective. Nothing has really changed since Neil Armstrong’s daughter Karen died aged two and a half from a tumour in 1962 and the treatment then was radiotherapy.

“We desperately need more awareness and fundraising to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.”

Callum was treated Addenbrooke’s where he underwent surgery, but afterwards his medical team told Michelle and husband Ian, that Callum wouldn’t survive. “He might live a couple of years, but not 10”, they were told.

Later, Callum had radiotherapy in a mask decorated with the Norwich City colours of yellow and green – and was given free tickets to watch his favourite team and even invited to the training ground to meet the players, as well as to be a match mascot.

The family focused on making memories and enjoyed holidays and days out. Norfolk-based Finnbar’s Force, a Member Charity of Brain Tumour Research, helped with travel expenses and experiences. Make a Wish UK also helped get Callum and his family to Disneyland Paris, before his condition deteriorated in the summer of 2020.

With one in three people knowing someone affected by the disease, Mrs Doe is campaigning alongside Brain Tumour Research for greater investment.

She has given her backing to a petition which aims to receive 100,000 signatures by the end of the month – which can be found here: www.braintumourresearch.org/petition

You can help to ensure the target is hit – which would result in the issue being debated in parliament – by adding your signature, which only take a minute. Another 25,000 signatures are still needed.

The Brain Tumour Charity is calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kick-start an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Callum’s story is a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of this disease, which can affect anyone at any time. We’re really grateful to Michelle for supporting our petition and for helping us to raise awareness.

“For too long governments have put brain tumours on the ‘too difficult to think about’ pile. Five years after the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research, just £11 million has been spent.”