The Galway-based bereaved wife and sister of a man who died from a brain tumour in October 2024 were invited to an event to mark the first anniversary of Scotland’s first research centre dedicated to brain tumours.
They were joined by MSPs, brain tumour patients, and families who have also lost loved ones to learn how researchers at the centre are focused on identifying the most promising new treatments for the most aggressive forms of the disease, which carry an average survival prognosis of 12 to 18 months.
Launched one year ago through a unique partnership between Brain Tumour Research and Beatson Cancer Charity, the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence brings together leading researchers based at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Eamonn Nugent, who grew up in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, before moving to Galway where he worked as a senior orthoptist at University Hospital, Galway, was diagnosed with a high-grade astrocytoma in 2022. He underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but sadly the tumour was found to have recurred during the summer of 2024. Eamonn passed away in October the same year, just three months after marrying his beloved Sarah Groonell.
Sarah, who continues to live in Galway, and his sister Ciara McAlpine from Motherwell, along with Eamonn’s parents Therese and Joseph Nugent from Belshill, and Ciara’s husband Andrew McAlpine, placed two tiles dedicated to Eamonn on the Wall of Hope at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, signifying the equivalent of two days of research they are sponsoring in his memory.
Ciara said: “We’ve raised more than £12,000 for Brain Tumour Research through participating in the charity’s Motherwell Walk of Hope, its 10,000 Steps a Day in February challenge and my zipslide across the Clyde, as well as asking for donations instead of gifts on occasion.
“Seeing the work at the Scottish Centre first-hand was very powerful and reminded me that treatment options for brain cancer patients have barely changed for the last couple of decades, underlining the need for continued focus and investment. I hope the pioneering work being undertaken here gives future families affected, better options and better outcomes.”
Sarah said: “Eamonn was very keen to support research to bring about better outcomes for brain tumour patients. In the months before he passed away, Eamonn, a talented musician who played the bodhrán, created an album called ‘The Waiting Room’. It consisted of his favourite recordings of traditional Irish music he had played on, which he sold to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research and Brain Tumour Ireland.
“We’re launching Eamonn’s Vision, a Fundraising Group under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research, to keep Eamonn’s vision alive.”
Bringing together a large multidisciplinary group of glioblastoma researchers from across Scotland, the Scottish Centre of Excellence was established to bridge the gap between promising scientific discoveries and real-world patient benefit, from laboratory to bedside.
Professor Steven Pollard, Co-Director of the Centre, said its priority now is to strengthen the connection between scientific discovery and clinical trials, so that promising new ideas can be developed into treatments that are ready to be tested in patients.
“We know the clinical teams in Edinburgh and Glasgow are ready to evaluate new therapies, and our focus is on building the expertise and infrastructure needed to move new approaches, including innovative medicines and gene therapy, through to that stage more effectively. By doing this, we hope not only to progress our own research, but also to work more closely with industry and other partners to increase the number of treatment options available to people affected by brain tumours.”
Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Dan Knowles, Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Research, said marking the first anniversary of Scotland’s first Centre of Excellence dedicated to brain tumours is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when patients, families, researchers and supporters come together with a shared determination to drive change. This Centre represents exactly what our supporters’ fundraising makes possible: world-class work with a clear focus on improving outcomes for patients.
To learn more about the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, visit: https://braintumourresearch.org/pages/information-centres-of-excellence and to donate to Eammon’s Vision go to www.justgiving.com/campaign/eamonnsvision
