Each year our staff members take part in a vote to decide who will become our chosen Charity of the Year. In the past we have supported the likes of Candle lighters UK, NSPCC and last year we chose Alzheimer’s Society. All of these charities do amazing work and we are glad to have supported them but this year a Charity has been presented to us that is not our usual National charity, but one that is very close to home.
This charity is linked to one of our own team members Phil Nuttall (Business Development Manager). Sadly Phil’s wonderful Niece Laura Nuttall, has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer after undergoing a routine eye test.
Laura’s Story
Laura Nuttall, 19, from Lancashire who achieved straight As in her A levels last summer, was just weeks into an international relations degree at King's College University in London in October when she began to experience occasional headaches and nausea.
She put her symptoms down to 'fresher's flu', but a routine eye test led to her being diagnosed with glioblastoma – the most aggressive brain cancer in adults. Laura was referred to Moorfields Eye Hospital, where doctors recommended further tests but the following day, after she was violently sick, she called mum Nicola at home in Lancashire to ask for help.
Nicola, 48, and her younger daughter Grace, 17, raced to London and took Laura straight to A&E that night. A 3am CT scan at Homerton Hospital in Hackney revealed the devastating news that she had two brain tumours. The following morning, a more detailed MRI scan of Laura's brain identified several more.
After an operation to remove the largest and most life-threatening growth on November 7th at Salford Royal Hospital, Laura and her family were told she had glioblastoma – the most aggressive brain cancer in adults and the type which took the life of former Labour cabinet minister Tessa Jowell.
Laura underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy at The Christie Hospital in Manchester throughout December in an attempt to keep the remaining tumours at bay.
She is due to embark on a further six-month course of intensive chemotherapy next month.
The family is also exploring whether Laura may be able to have experimental treatments such as DCVax, a type of personalised therapy made in the USA using some of an individual patient's own immune cells.
The treatment hit the headlines last May when early findings from a clinical trial suggested it could increase overall survival from glioblastoma.
The family are speaking about Laura's diagnosis through The Brain Tumour Charity to raise awareness of brain tumours, which kill more children and young adults in the UK than any other type of cancer.
In the hope of raising the funds needed for this life changing non-standard treatment. Laura’s family have launched their own go fund me page which already has over £74k in donations.
After reading this amazing and brave young girls story I hope you can find it in your hearts to support one of our own and donate whatever you can to help save Laura’s life.
We as a company will be supporting Laura and her family in her bid to raise the £150k needed for the surgery that could just save her life.
If you would like to donate please visit Laura's Go Fund Me page here.