A man with an inoperable brain tumour has raised almost £8,000 to help fund research to find a cure for the devastating disease.
Shortly after celebrating his 30th birthday in 2017, Lee Masters from Torquay was diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma, after experiencing visual auras and spells of confusion.
His symptoms appeared to ease with migraine medication, however in 2018, Lee suffered two seizures within months of each other and a scan confirmed a mass on his brain.
Despite 12 months of PCV chemotherapy, Lee’s tumour continued to grow and after a biopsy in November 2020, his tumour was reclassified as a grade 3.
He received radiotherapy followed by another year of chemotherapy which he completed in August 2022 and since then the tumour has remained stable.
Lee said: “Over the years I’ve researched other treatments and made changes to my lifestyle and diet.
“I understand that there have been advances in treatment available overseas but it seems outrageous that as well as living with this disease, patients are often self-funding and looking at alternative treatments themselves.”
On Wednesday 5 June, Lee, his girlfriend Helen A’ Hearne, and sister and mum Paula and Eileen Masters were invited by the charity Brain Tumour Research to its Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth to find out how their fundraising is helping support scientists researching low-grade brain tumours. By identifying and understanding the mechanism that makes a cell become cancerous, the team is exploring ways to halt or reverse them.
For the last three years, Lee’s sister Paula, also from Torquay, has organised an annual Walk of Hope from Torquay to Paignton and back – a distance of eight miles.
Paula said: “Around 40 people have attended each time, collecting donations en route and wearing Brain Tumour Research pink t-shirts, pink wigs and really anything pink!”
Lee added: “I am really grateful to Paula who has been the driving force behind our fundraising. It’s something we will continue to do each year. For as long as I can, I will continue to help other people like me.”
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and more men under 70 than prostate cancer.
Lee and his guests were given the opportunity to tour the labs at the University of Plymouth, led by principal investigator Professor David Parkinson.
They spoke to scientists about their work to find a cure for the disease and placed a tile dedicated to Lee on the Wall of Hope.
Lee added: “I hope the money we’ve donated is life-changing and will help make a difference for people diagnosed with a brain tumour in the future.
“It is encouraging to hear from the scientists about the work being done in their quest to find a cure, which can’t come soon enough.”
Louise Aubrey, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Lee and Paula for their incredible support and generosity. We hope that their visit to our Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth offered a useful insight into all we’re doing to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.
“Just 12% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54% across all cancers, yet, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. This has to change.”
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 find out more about sponsoring a day of research, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/sponsor-a-day.
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