The Giles’ Trust was launched at Edgbaston Cricket Stadium on 16 October 2015. The event that night raised a staggering £35,000 – enough to fund The Giles’ Trust Clinical Research Nurse for twelve months, helping Professor Cruickshank to double the number of patients taking part in brain tumour research at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Why do we need to fund brain tumour research and support?

Brain tumour research remains underfunded in comparison to other diseases and illnesses funded by the NHS even though brain tumours are now the most common malignancy and cause of death in children. Survival rates across all ages are only marginally better now than they were 40 years ago. Sadly it has not seen the same kind of medical advances that have been seen with other illnesses, for example with leukaemia and breast cancer.

Why support brain tumour research and support at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital?

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is one of the largest referral centres in the UK for patients with brain tumours. The demographic is one of the largest and most ethnically diverse in Europe making it an ideal base for research and trials. World-class scientists in many disciplines, including cancer, are based on site and the integration of basic laboratory research and a strong clinical team provides an excellent platform from which to develop clinical trial programmes to support brain tumour research with the potential to fast track new treatments and drugs into patients.

What will The Giles’ Trust be funding?

The Giles’ Trust wants to support the work of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham with its care for brain tumour patients through enabling the appointment of a Giles’ Trust Clinical Research Nurse. The initial £35,000 required to fill the post for one year was raised in October 2015. This appointment will enable the department to support the development of new drugs and treatments. The clinical research nurse will deliver therapies to patients where standardised treatment options have failed and be able to offer treatments that are not routinely available. Going forwards, we are looking to find £35,000 per annum to keep supporting this important role.

Why is it so important to fund a Giles’ Trust Clinical Research Nurse?

Investment and research programmes have meant that there has been a variety of research undertaken in the laboratories that look at creating new drugs and treatments for brain tumour patients and, in the hospital, the NHS funds medical staff to care for patients. However, there remains a vital missing link in enabling those new and potentially life changing drugs and treatments to move from the laboratory shelf to the patients’ bedside tables. That missing link comes in the form of a clinical research nurse who, at the moment, cannot be funded by the NHS.
The appointment of such a post would enable around 65 patients a year to be accepted onto a clinical trial. These trials potentially have the ability to offer patients new drugs and treatments with fewer side effects, longer life expectancy and an ultimate goal of being able to beat brain tumours.

How can I help/get involved?

The Giles’ Trust is a fund that comes under the governance of UHB Charity. You can get involved in most UHB Charity events; just let us know you would like to raise funds for The Giles’ Trust when you get in touch. Alternatively, you might want to set something up yourself. If you do, please let us know to see if we can help in any way.

To donate, please click the 'donate to this fund' button at the top right of this page. 

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University Hospitals Birmingham Charity is a company limited by guarantee in England (No.10004003) and a charity registered in England and Wales (No.1165716).Registered Office: Fisher House, Mindelsohn Way, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, B15 2GN

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