Understand
Music producer Pete Waterman calls for greater focus on finding a brain cancer cure
Overview
Music producer Pete Waterman, whose son Paul died from an aggressive brain tumour in 2005, has highlighted the need for a cure and better research funding during a visit to a Nottingham research laboratory. His comments coincide with a government announcement detailing new steps to accelerate brain cancer research into treatments, following calls from campaigners and patients.
Key points
- Pete Waterman's son, Paul, died from an aggressive brain tumour known as glioblastoma in January 2005 at the age of 33.
- Waterman visited the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Nottingham to advocate for more funding and a focused approach to finding a cure.
- Brain Tumour Research states that brain cancer is the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet receives only about 26% of its funding from the government.
- The charity has urged national investment in brain cancer research to increase to at least £45m a year by 2029.
- Downing Street announced four new steps to speed up the transition from research to treatment, including an expert review and the appointment of a national brain cancer clinical lead.