Well maybe not Storms exactly !
Dianne Parkes from Witney based children’s cancer charity – Joss Searchlight, joined 33 other families at The Houses of Parliament to highlight that in the United Kingdom 34 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour every day.
The parents of over 400 children receive the devastating news that their child has a brain tumour. an average of 67 of these children die.
March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month
Joss Searchlight founder, Dianne Parkes was at The Houses of Parliament to launch Brain tumour awareness month and was was so proud to hold up a photo of her son Joss, age 4 at diagnosis.
“It was brilliant as always to have the amazing celebrity support of Nicki Chapman and comedian Hal Cruttenden in our campaign for a National Strategy for Brain Tumours” said Dianne.
Dianne is standing up for Children with Brain Tumours by joining forces with The Brain Tumour Charity to launch an open letter to government demanding change.
“I’m not sure there’s a way for others to understand what a child’s brain cancer diagnosis does to your life and outlook. The grieving process begins at diagnosis. Going through the 5 stages of grief without support is hideous – I never got to a stage of acceptance. I never will. No child is born to die, you can’t accept the unacceptable.”
Without a doubt the biggest factor in overcoming the negatives has been the work Joss Searchlight have done to raise funds for research.
It’s taken Joss Searchlight a decade to raise enough funds for medical research. Last year they committed £150k and are determined to raise more.
“We have to do more. I’ve dedicated my life to this. Joss deserved so much more, he deserved to live, all the children do. I will spend my life fighting for this”, Dianne said.
Dealing with a brain tumour is devastating and isolating so ultimately through the work Joss Searchlight does they aim to provide hope, connection, and support to parents and their families.
“We’ll never stop fighting for more effective and less devastating treatments for children. I pray for the money to put researchers plans into action. The children are all waiting for their own miracle. The families are battered and bruised from all the waiting.”
