Woman with nine brain tumours backs funding call

A woman diagnosed with nine brain tumours after becoming confused during a work meeting has backed a charity's call for more money to be put into research.

Laura Critchley, from Swinton, underwent surgery to remove five growths, but doctors said four were inoperable and predicted more were likely to appear.

The 40-year-old mother-of-two is supporting Brain Tumour Research's appeal for an increase in national investment into research to at least £45m a year by 2029.

The Department of Health and Social Care said its new National Cancer Plan would work to provide faster access to clinical trials and develop innovations such as the rapid brain tumour test to "transform treatment" for patients.

Laura said she had been presenting a meeting in May 2025 when she suddenly became confused and unable to talk, and later when a colleague tried to help her to her car she could not remember how to start it.

Initially thinking she may have suffered a stroke she went to Doncaster Royal Infirmary where scans revealed a series of tumours.

Laura said the diagnosis had come "totally out of the blue" and had "totally turned our world upside down".

"I'd just thought maybe this is what 40 looks like," she said.

"Never in the world would I ever have thought I had a brain tumour."

She said everything had changed since the diagnosis but the "biggest hurdle" was the "grief and psychological impact of this on me and my family".

This week over 100 researchers and clinicians met in York to discuss the latest developments in brain tumour treatment and research.

Dr Karen Noble, research and policy director at Brain Tumour Research, said brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer.

"Laura's story highlights why we urgently need the government to support an increase in national investment in research," she said.

She said there was "critically low funding" and the "urgent progress" to take the science out of the lab and into patients' lives could not happen without adequate funding.

Laura, who worked as a SEND director at a multi academy trust, said despite being away from her job it had been "a massive positive" to be able to be "the best mum and really present for my sons" while her family came to terms with her diagnosis.

"It's tough for families," she said.

"When you get a diagnosis it's not just the impact on you, it's every person in your life.

"It just goes to show how important research is.

"Brain tumours affect more of us than you would ever think, and yet funding and awareness remains critically low.

"More investment is needed to give hope to people and families like mine.

"I want people to have more understanding not to take life for granted.

"Things can change in a heartbeat - just be aware of that."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "For too long, brain cancer has not received the attention it deserved, but our new National Cancer Plan is working to change that, with faster access to life-changing clinical trials, a new national clinical lead for rare cancers, and brilliant new innovations like the rapid brain tumour test to transform treatment for patients.

"Over £25m is also being invested in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium to transform outcomes for adults and children living with brain tumours, and we are working with Cancer Research UK to co-fund Brain Tumour Centres of Excellence, accelerating the delivery of new treatments.

"And we recently held the first meeting of the National Cancer Board, the independent experts who will hold the government to account on delivering the progress we have promised in the National Cancer Plan and that Jackie and other campaigners want to see."

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North