Sparkle is back, and today the charity Brain Tumour Support has launched its 2021 sparkle campaign. The charity wants everyone to join celebrities Joel Dommett and Hannah Cooper to bring a bit of sparkle into their lives during the month of October.
While friends and family are important, many patients rely on help from Brain Tumour Support who provide free support and counselling either face to face, on-line or on the telephone.
CEO and founder, Tina Mitchell Skinner, set up the charity in 2003 after losing her husband to a brain tumour.
Tina and her team are delighted that celebrities Joel and Hannah are supporting this year’s Sparkle campaign and hope as many people as possible will not only donate but join Joel and Hannah by posting a sparkly picture of their own on Facebook or Instagram.
Tina said, “We hope individuals, companies and community groups will get together to sparkle in aid of Brain Tumour Support. Why nothave a sparkly coffee morning or afternoon tea with friends with some glittery cupcakes or wear something sparkly to work? You could even sparkle up your pet! Whatever you decide we want everyone to get involved, get together, and donate.
“We’re aiming for this year’s ‘Sparkle’ campaign to be the most successful yet and raise enough funds so that we can reach many more brain tumour patients and their families across the UK and provide support when they need it most. We rely entirely on donations and we hope that the people of Birmingham and surrounding areas will get behind our campaign and help us raise as much money as we can so that we can achieve our vision that no-one should feel alone when facing a brain tumour diagnosis.”
45 people every day are diagnosed with a brain tumour and more than 100,000 people in the UK are living with a brain tumour. We want to give support to everyone who is affected by the devastating effects of a brain tumour diagnosis. Patients often lose their job, their driving licence and their independence. A brain tumour can also affect a patient’s personality and can cause depression and anxiety.
Visit www.braintumoursupport.co.uk/sparkle to find out more or to purchase something from the ‘Sparkle up your day’ range of merchandise available with the support of Printster and Westcoast Workwear.
You can contact the Fundraising Team at fundraising@braintumoursupport.co.uk or 01454 422705.
To request an interview with Tina Mitchell Skinner or further information about Brain Tumour Support or the Sparkle campaign, please contact:
Caroline Edmunds on mobile: 07775 943305 or email caroline.edmunds@theanswer.ltd or Catherine Dhanjal Catherine.dhanjal@theanswer.ltd
About Brain Tumour Support:
Brain Tumour Support is the only UK charity dedicated to providing support for patients, families and carers. The charity vision is that no-one feels alone when facing the effects of a brain tumour diagnosis.
The charity provides tailored support across the UK through skilled Support Professionals and professional specialised counselling. The comprehensive services include support sessions, individualised and specialist information and guidance, and both practical and emotional support, at any point from diagnosis and for as long as it is needed.
Throughout the period of the coronavirus pandemic, face-to-face support and meetings have been suspended for the safety of everyone in the brain tumour community. Support has instead been maintained through online Zoom sessions for groups and individuals, as well as via telephone, email, and in Brain Tumour Support’s very popular Facebook support forum.
The services provided are not within the capacity of the NHS and no other charity offers the range of specialist emotional and practical support which Brain Tumour Support has developed. The NHS offers an amazing clinical service. However, for brain tumour patients the need for support extends far beyond the clinical setting and also beyond the patients themselves, due to the profound impact that a brain tumour can have on the whole family.
The charity continues to campaign to raise public awareness of the physical, practical and psychological effects, for both patients and those closest to them, that a brain tumour diagnosis can have. Even non-malignant and low grade tumours can often have life-changing effects leaving many people unable to live the lives they had before, and making specialist support vital.
Key facts about brain tumours:
• Approximately 45 people each day in the UK face a brain tumour diagnosis
• Over 100,000 people in the UK are living with a brain tumour
• There are more than 120 different types of brain tumour making them notoriously difficult to diagnose
• The cause of brain tumours is not known, they can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, lifestyle or general health
• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other type of cancer
• Over 40% of people with a brain tumour have to give up work as a result of their diagnosis
• Over 55% of people with a brain tumour have to give up their driving licence and lose their independence
• Over 65% of people say a brain tumour has a negative impact on their friendships
• Brain tumours affect both physical and mental health