Day of research funded in memory of 'wonderful' teacher from Beverley who died of brain tumour

-Credit:Brain Tumour Research
-Credit:Brain Tumour Research


A "loving and wonderful" teacher from Beverley who sadly died of a brain tumour five years ago has had a day of research into the disease funded in her memory.

Mum-of-three Julie Wilson, who taught French at Beverley High School, sadly died in January 2020 to a glioblastoma, a fast-growing type of brain tumour, which she was diagnosed with in 2018 after experiencing blackouts. Doctors were unable to operate due to the sensitive location of the tumour.

Julie underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy and took a variety of drugs to counter the harsh side-effects of these toxic treatments, but sadly passed away aged 60.

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Julie's brother, Reverend John Boardman from Grimsby, has raised thousands of pounds in his sister's memory for a day of research into the disease by swimming laps at Cleethorpes Leisure Centre.

John successfully raised more than £2,740 - which is how much it costs for the charity Brain Tumour Research to fund a day of research - by swimming an incredible 2,740 laps of the leisure centre pool.

Exactly five years on from the day of Julie's death, John and his wife Ann were invited to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at Imperial College London to find out how his fundraising is helping support scientists working to improve the diagnosis and treatment of adults with high-grade glioma, including glioblastoma.

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John was also able to place a tile on the centre's Wall of Hope in memory of Julie.

Reverend John and his wife Ann, placing a tile on the Wall of Hope at Brain Tumour Research's Centre of Excellence -Credit:Brain Tumour Research
Reverend John and his wife Ann, placing a tile on the Wall of Hope at Brain Tumour Research's Centre of Excellence -Credit:Brain Tumour Research

He said: “Julie was a loving and wonderful woman with a fantastic and a really caring and supportive family. Julie’s son Sam has cycled both from Land’s End to John O’Groats and the London Revolution, raising a total of £5,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

“When Julie was diagnosed, it was devastating to learn that glioblastoma is such a life-limiting illness. Her diagnosis included a timescale of 14 months. The Government doesn’t give enough money to research brain tumours and it doesn’t recognise the terrible impact they have on whole families.

“It’s some comfort to think that the donations made in Julie’s memory are helping to make a difference for people diagnosed with brain tumours in the future.

“Sadly, it’s too late for Julie, but I hope the money we’ve donated is life-changing and brings the day closer when a cure is found and families don’t have to go through what we have.”

Practicing for his incredible feat - John swam thousands of laps of Cleethorpes Leisure Centre pool to fund a day of research into brain tumours, the disease that killed his sister Julie in 2020 -Credit:Brain Tumour Research
Practicing for his incredible feat - John swam thousands of laps of Cleethorpes Leisure Centre pool to fund a day of research into brain tumours, the disease that killed his sister Julie in 2020 -Credit:Brain Tumour Research

Ashley McWilliams, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to John and his family for their support and generosity. We hope that his visit to our Centre of Excellence at Imperial College London offered a useful insight into all we’re doing to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.

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“Just under 13% 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.”

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Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, more women under 35 than breast cancer and more men under 70 than prostate cancer.

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.

To find out more about sponsoring a day of research, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/sponsor-a-day.