A HEARTBROKEN Flintshire mum is helping to raise awareness of brain tumours by taking part in a charity’s Christmas Advent Appeal.

Nicola Wharton’s son Aaron was just four when he was diagnosed with an aggressive anaplastic ependymoma brain tumour. Despite undergoing surgery multiple times and having radiotherapy and chemotherapy, he ran out of treatment options and died on Easter Sunday 2023, aged seven, leaving his parents heartbroken.

Since losing her only child, Nicola has set up a Fundraising Group called Aaron’s Army which has raised almost £32,500 for Brain Tumour Research, and is sharing her story as part of an online charity Advent Calendar to remind people why research into brain tumours is so important.

The charity is sharing the stories of people who have been affected by brain tumours via https://braintumourresearch.org/pages/advent-appeal.

Nicola's story is shared via a video on December 22, in which she said: “It’s so important to support this charity to raise awareness of brain tumours and highlight the severe lack of government funding and treatment options that this disease receives.”

Less than 12 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54 per cent across all cancers.

The Leader: Aaron Wharton with parents Lee and NicolaAaron Wharton with parents Lee and Nicola (Image: Brain Tumour Research)

The calendar was launched with a message from Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell, who is a Brain Tumour Research Patron and patient. It is hoped the poignant stories it contains will inspire visitors to make a donation to the charity, ultimately helping to find a cure for people diagnosed with brain tumours, including glioblastoma GBM patient Theo.

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Aaron’s Army raised almost £20,000 through a charity firewalk earlier this year at Wrexham FC’s stadium, SToK Cae Ras (The Racecourse Ground), where before he died, Aaron had been a mascot for the club which hit the big time after it was taken over by Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

And only last Saturday, Nicola and supporters of Aaron’s Army were back at SToK Cae Ras for the match against Colchester, collecting donations in Aaron’s memory for Brain Tumour Research. Not only did the generosity of Wrexham supporters bring in more than £1,200, but Rob and Ryan also donated £2,000 to Aaron’s Army’s campaign JustGiving page.

Nicola said: "I don't think I will ever be able to find the words to express how overwhelmingly grateful we are to Ryan and Rob.

"This is all for you, our beautiful boy."

The Leader:

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.

Melanie Tiley, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Please help us to raise awareness of the indiscriminate nature of brain tumours this December and to raise vital funds to get us closer to our vision of finding a cure, thereby bringing hope to everyone affected by this devastating disease.

"You can watch Nicola’s video and all those revealed so far, at www.braintumourresearch.org/advent-appeal and donate to give the gift of hope this festive season.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and 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. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.

To donate to the Christmas Advent Appeal, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/advent-appeal