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Wolverhampton woman who lost dad to brain tumour demands Government action to help find cure

A bereaved woman from Wolverhampton is among more than 112,000 patients and relatives who are demanding action from the Government to fund research into brain tumours and help find a cure.

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Lily and Mick Deans

Lily Deans, aged 23, who is studying law in Birmingham, has signed a petition created by the charity Brain Tumour Research calling for increased investment into scientific research and parity of funding with other cancers.

The postgraduate, from Merry Hill, lost her father, Michael Deans, known as Mick, to an aggressive brain tumour.

Mick, who had his own business Baggeridge Joinery Ltd with a partner, was diagnosed in December 2014 after suffering a couple of big seizures and underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

He continued to have seizures and had to give up work which resulted in his business folding and in the early summer five years ago, a scan revealed the tumour was growing again and had spread and following risky surgery, after a bleed on the brain, Mick passed away, three days before his 50th birthday.

Lily said: "It was very distressing seeing dad have seizures and learning that the tumour was growing again came when I was in the middle of sitting my A-levels.

"He left behind a wife, a daughter and a son, brothers, parents and friends who all miss him and love him desperately."

Since Mick passed away, 20 months after diagnosis, his family, including wife Louise, Lily and his son Harry, have set up a fundraising group under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research, known as The Micky Deans Trust.

Lily added: "I signed the petition in memory of my darling father, Michael Deans, who we lost at the age of 49, as we desperately need to increase funding into researching this cruel form of cancer.

"Nobody should have to go through the pain of losing a parent at such a young age."

The report has been circulated to MPs today and highlights the fact that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

Historically, just one per cent of the national cancer spend has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Sue Farrington Smith, chief executive of Brain Tumour Research, said: "Now is the time to give hope to thousands of families impacted by a brain tumour every year.

"Along with more than 112,000 people, I am calling on the Government to make this the time to level up and stop the devastation."

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