Bereaved Hungerford dad Simon Flanagan and family fundraise for Brain Tumour Research in memory of Lisa Flanagan

A BEREAVED husband has branded the lack of funding for brain tumour research “ridiculous.”

Hungerford mother-of-three Lisa Flanagan was aged 46 when she suffered a seizure and flu-like symptoms in 2018 and was initially diagnosed with encephalitis.

A follow-up scan six months later, revealed they were actually the symptoms of a brain tumour.

The former fashion designer turned teaching assistant began chemotherapy but stopped after suffering badly with the side-effects.

She died five years later, in March 2021, aged 50.

This week her husband, Simon, aged 56, said: “Having lived through this first-hand, it’s appalling that just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.

“It’s ridiculous and it’s absolutely vital the government follows through on its promise to spend £40m on research into brain tumours.

“It’s absurd such a devastating disease isn’t getting the attention it needs.”

During the pandemic Mr Flanagan was adamant Lisa needed more urgent support, and says he pleaded with consultants to carry out further tests. It was only after Mrs Flanagan was admitted to a Sue Ryder palliative care centre in Newbury that she underwent another MRI scan, which revealed the true extent of the swelling.

The family had been exploring alternative treatments, but she died just four days after the scan.

Mr Flanagan added: “To be told she had a couple of days to live and have the rug pulled out from underneath you was devastating.

“The light in the tunnel was extinguished so quickly; the only glimmer of good was that we got to be there with her at the end.”

Last month Mr Flanagan, his sons and their partners, as well as Mrs Flanagan’s parents, took part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s charity’s Walk of Hope.

The walk is Brain Tumour Research’s annual national event where hundreds of supporters join walks or organise their own in their community to raise money to bring hope to brain tumour patients and their families.

Mr Flanagan said: “The Walk of Hope was a lovely opportunity for us all to get together as a family and remember Lisa.

“It’s one thing to lose a partner but to lose a child or a mother is something else.

“It’s not just the individual you lose - it’s the ramifications of that loss and the ripples that are felt by everyone who loves them, so the more we can do to bring more attention to this disease the better.”

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.

You can still donate to the family’s fundraiser by visiting: www.justgiving.com/page/simon-flanagan-1723035678235