BBC NEWS - BREAKTHROUGH IN TREATING CHILDHOOD BRAIN TUMOURS
"We would like to thank all those who have been inspired and motivated by Skye and who have helped us get to this point. We truly couldn't have done it without you." Sally & Andrew
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Gemma Llargués Sistac working at Northern Institute for Cancer Research
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Recent new discoveries by the paediatric brain tumour research group at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research led by Prof. Steve Clifford, have been able to sub divide the most common type of childhood brain tumour and therefore provide more bespoke and in some cases, gentler treatments.
Brain tumours are the cancer responsible for most young lives lost.
Prof. Steve Clifford, said that in the future, patients might not need to go through such aggressive treatment. "This new discovery allows us to undertake studies to see how we could use these insights to personalise treatments according to the biological features of each patient's tumour. We are inspired by Skye’s story and the fundraising efforts of Blue Skye Thinking."
Blue Skye Thinking funds Gemma Llargués Sistac (who has a degree in genetics), to assist Prof. Steve Clifford. The Paediatric Brain Tumour Research Group at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research led by Prof. Clifford, Dr. Williamson and Prof. Bailey, comprises over 20 scientists and clinicians work towards a better understanding of the biological basis of nervous system tumours, and translating this knowledge into new and better therapeutic strategies.
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Gemma Llargués Sistac said "Blue Skye Thinking is a Charity that understands the struggle that research groups encounter when trying to establish new ways to treat childhood cancer. Supporting research as the charity does, brings an opportunity to develop new therapies to improve survival rates of children with brain tumours, which can be translated into better quality of life and reduced toxicities related to therapy in surviving patients."
Miss Sistac is following up targets that were implicated by the study and reported in Lancet Oncology, to translate these discoveries into frontline treatment. There is a long road for this breakthrough to benefit children on the ward.
One of Skye's Consultants, Dr Mark Gaze, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) & University College Hospital (UCH) Tweeted, "Some good news here - but the pipeline is a long one. Clinical research to validate theoretical advances takes time."
It also takes funding which is why Blue Skye Thinking is determined to fight on to reach our next target.
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