Macclesfield tots get their hats on for charity after family brain tumour tragedy

Toddlers from a Cheshire nursery are fundraising to help find a cure for brain tumours.

It’s a cause close to their hearts, as one of the children’s grandmothers died from the disease before he was born.

Macclesfield Day Nursery is supporting the national charity Brain Tumour Research, by holding a Wear A Hat Day event at the school. It’s after one of the parents, Liza Savin, 44, lost her mum Gaynor Goodier to a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in April 2017.

Mum-of-two Liza, a customer service consultant for Royal London in Alderley Edge, said: “Mum was diagnosed with a grade 4 GBM just two weeks before my wedding day, in May 2016. She didn't have any major symptoms that you might expect with a brain tumour; no headaches, dizziness or sickness. She just suffered some slight memory loss, forgetting people's names, for example. One day she went to the chemist to pick up a prescription and when they asked her address, she couldn't remember it.”

Gaynor, a retired hairdresser, who lived with her husband David in Tytherington, went to see the doctor, who initially thought she may have an infection.

Liza added: “When that came back clear, they asked her to come back again and did some tests for dementia. From the answers she gave, they concluded that she may have early onset dementia and she was sent away with some leaflets. Not convinced with the diagnosis, we asked for another appointment and mum saw a different doctor, who thought she may have had a stroke, so she was booked in for a scan.”

The MRI scan revealed a “mass” in Gaynor’s head, which was eventually diagnosed as an aggressive brain tumour. The only treatment available would be to try to extend her life, rather than save it. 

Liza said: “As her diagnosis came just a fortnight before I was due to get married, it was agreed that Mum would delay treatment until after the wedding. She had an awake craniotomy at Salford Royal Hospital and underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy under the care of The Christie. 

“Mum was always so positive and full of life and she remained this way throughout her treatment. She didn't like losing her hair though and the most devastating thing for her was that she eventually lost her speech.”

Following her treatment, Gaynor was monitored with regular MRI scans and sadly, in November 2016, she was told the tumour was growing back and there was nothing more that could be done. Gaynor’s wish was to stay at home, rather than go into a hospice, so she was cared for by her family, with the support of East Cheshire Hospice.

Gaynor was aged 76 when she died in April 2017, when Liza was seven months pregnant with her second son, Elijah. She left behind her husband David, Liza and her brother Chris and three grandsons, Thomas, Oliver and Noah.

She said: “The impact Mum’s death had on all of us was huge. Mum was at the centre of everything and she was always so vivacious and fun. Her absence is still felt greatly. My mum and dad were married for 50 years and did everything together, so Dad’s life was very different after she died. He very sadly passed away from pneumonia in June 2020, following a planned operation for skin cancer.”

Liza is mum to Noah, five and Elijah, three. Elijah’s childcare setting, Macclesfield Day Nursery, is fundraising to help find a cure for this devastating disease. For five days from 22 March 2021, the staff and children from the ‘Swans’ and ‘Preschool’ rooms are collectively aiming to do 500,000 steps. They’re collecting sponsorship money and hope to raise at least £200 for Brain Tumour Research.

Their impressive challenge finishes on 26 March, to coincide with Wear a Hat Day.

The two and three-year olds have been making party hats to wear, as part of their preparation for the event.

Pre-school practitioner Emily Cawley said: “We will be spending lots of time outdoors and engaging in physical activities to help boost our steps. During group times, we will take turns to have one child walk on the spot for one-minute intervals and during lunch and tea times, my colleagues and I will be walking laps of the hall and marching on the spot. We will always be on the move!

“When we found out about Wear A Hat Day, we knew we had to get involved. We didn’t realise initially that one of our families has a personal connection to the disease but when we spoke to Liza about her mum, it seemed like a really fitting cause. We’re also keen to support the charity because it receives no income from the Government and relies entirely on funds raised by supporters to help get closer to a cure.” 

Nursery director Patricia Stanier said: “I am so proud of all the children and staff for taking part. We’re delighted to be supporting this hugely important cause, especially after discovering that brain tumours kill more children and adults under than age of 40 than any other cancer. I have personally pledged to donate an additional £100 to the charity if we hit our target of £200.”

Liza said: “I think it's fantastic that Macclesfield Day Nursery is fundraising for Brain Tumour Research. One thing that surprised me is just how common brain tumours are and more awareness is desperately needed to draw attention to the issues surrounding the disease.

“Mum was a wonderful grandmother to Noah and she sadly never got to meet Elijah. It’s wonderful to think he will be donning his hat and doing his steps in her memory.”

Now in its 12^th year, Wear A Hat Day has raised more than £2 million to help fund the fight against the disease. It is one of the UK’s biggest and best-loved brain tumour research awareness and fundraising days. This year, Brain Tumour Research is celebrating key workers, like Emily and her colleagues at the nursery. The charity’s marketing imagery features key worker families who, despite having their own devastating brain tumour stories, are determined to show the joy and positivity that is being involved in Wear A Hat Day. They’ve also developed six new pin badges representing key workers’ hats.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK singularly focused on finding a cure for brain tumours through campaigning for an increase in the national investment into research to £35 million per year. It is also fundraising to create a sustainable network of brain tumour research centres in the UK.

Matthew Price, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We were so sorry to learn about Gaynor’s passing. Liza’s loss spurs us on to continue to find a cure for this terrible disease.

“It’s so touching to see Macclesfield Day Nursery embracing Wear A Hat Day and coming up with their own amazing challenge, one year on from the outbreak of COVID-19 in the UK. Our supporters’ dedication in these unprecedented times is genuine and inspiring and we can’t wait to join them in putting on our hats, having some fun and raising money to fund sustainable research that will bring us closer to a cure for brain tumours.

“Unlike many other cancers, brain tumours are indiscriminate. They can affect anyone at any time. Too little is known about the causes and that is why increased investment in research is vital if we are to improve outcomes for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and the 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.

Whilst COVID-19 restrictions still apply, the charity is politely reminding supporters to observe safety measures when planning their events. Families, friends, workplaces and schools can however, still come together safely, virtually or in-person where restrictions allow, to raise money for this vital cause.

You can register to take part at www.wearahatday.org

#WearAHatDay

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK singularly focused on finding a cure for brain tumours through campaigning for an increase in the national investment into research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a sustainable network of brain tumour research centres in the UK.

The £35 million a year funding would bring parity with other cancers such as breast and leukaemia after historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours. This increased commitment would enable the ground-breaking research needed to accelerate the translation from laboratory discoveries into clinical trials and fast-track new therapies for this devastating disease. 

Brain Tumour Research is a powerful campaigning organisation and represents the voice of the brain tumour community across the UK. We helped establish and provide the ongoing Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Brain Tumours (APPGBT) which published its report Brain Tumours A cost too much to bear? in 2018. Led by the charity, the report examines the economic and social impacts of a brain tumour diagnosis.

We are also a leading player on the Steering Group for the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission and we were a key influencer in the Government’s 2018 funding announcement, following her death, to commit £40 million over five years. So far, just £9.3 million has been allocated and we continue to work through the APPGBT to hold the Government to account and ensure this money is spent on research into brain tumours. 

Key statistics on brain tumours:

• Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• Historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours
• In the UK, 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour
• Brain tumours kill more children than leukaemia
• Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer
• Brain tumours kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
• Less than 12% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers

Pictured - Nursery Co-ordinator Beth Frost, Early Years Co-ordinator Ellie Bishop and Pre-school Practitioner Emily Cawley with the children.