Wellesbourne man makes stand against underfunding for brain tumour research and treatment

Malcolm Boyd at the Brain Tumour Research reception, at Speaker's House, Westminster, 15/03/2017. photo by Jake McNulty

Malcolm Boyd, 36, lost his father Arthur, 69, six months after diagnosis last June with the most aggressive and deadly form of brain tumour.

John Bercow MP, long-standing patron of the charity Brain Tumour Research, opened the State Rooms of Speaker’s House to patients, families, scientists, clinicians and supporters as they campaigned for change.

They were urging MPs to reverse the decades of underfunding for research and significantly improve treatments for the 60,000 people living with a brain tumour in the UK.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Malcolm said: “I cannot stand by without doing something to change this chronic underfunding.

“Even though it’s too late for Dad, I want his legacy to help find a cure for this deadly disease.”

“More research is needed so fewer families will be devastated by this dreadful disease. I would love to see a day when cancer is no longer life-threatening, when the thought of cancer being a killer is history.

“We must strive to improve outcomes for patients and increase funding into brain tumour research.”

In support of Brain Tumour Research and in memory of his father, Malcolm is running the Cotswold Way Challenge, a 100 mile four-day ultra-marathon, in June - a challenge which he is calling 100 Miles for Dad.

The third day of the event will be the first anniversary of Arthur’s death.