5,000 signatures reached
To: Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt
The Headsmart Campaign for the earlier diagnosis of children's brain tumours
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Use national media outlets to help parents learn to recognise brain tumour symptoms by texting SMART to 81400
Why is this important?
Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and teenagers in the UK and our diagnosis time is slower than similar countries to us.
Ashya King required two operations to remove his brain tumour, which was reportedly the size of a satsuma. His situation echoes that of our son David, who was treated at the same hospital. Had David's tumour been diagnosed earlier, it would have been smaller. He would probably have needed only one operation instead of the 11 that he endured.
I knew nothing about the symptoms of brain tumours at that time. Had I been more aware, I would have taken our son to the doctor weeks earlier. I believe this would have resulted in a better outcome for David, who died in 2012, aged 16.
Most parents know the symptoms of meningitis. Few know the symptoms of a brain tumour and yet both these illnesses represent the same risk to a child.
The HeadSmart campaign is designed to raise awareness of the symptoms of brain tumours in children, with the sole aim of reducing the average diagnosis time and bringing UK diagnosis times into line with other western countries.
Late diagnosis of childhood brain tumours in the UK causes unnecessary suffering, disability and death and is unacceptable.
The little help I've received so far from the Department of Health, has been conditional on my NOT being allowed to acknowledge it in the national press.
As a mother who had to watch her son die from spinal tumours and full dementia, suffering from a disease that might have been prevented by earlier diagnosis, I beg you to sign this petition and enlist the public help of Jeremy Hunt.
THANK YOU
Ashya King required two operations to remove his brain tumour, which was reportedly the size of a satsuma. His situation echoes that of our son David, who was treated at the same hospital. Had David's tumour been diagnosed earlier, it would have been smaller. He would probably have needed only one operation instead of the 11 that he endured.
I knew nothing about the symptoms of brain tumours at that time. Had I been more aware, I would have taken our son to the doctor weeks earlier. I believe this would have resulted in a better outcome for David, who died in 2012, aged 16.
Most parents know the symptoms of meningitis. Few know the symptoms of a brain tumour and yet both these illnesses represent the same risk to a child.
The HeadSmart campaign is designed to raise awareness of the symptoms of brain tumours in children, with the sole aim of reducing the average diagnosis time and bringing UK diagnosis times into line with other western countries.
Late diagnosis of childhood brain tumours in the UK causes unnecessary suffering, disability and death and is unacceptable.
The little help I've received so far from the Department of Health, has been conditional on my NOT being allowed to acknowledge it in the national press.
As a mother who had to watch her son die from spinal tumours and full dementia, suffering from a disease that might have been prevented by earlier diagnosis, I beg you to sign this petition and enlist the public help of Jeremy Hunt.
THANK YOU
