Tessa Jowell and Theresa May share emotional hug as £45m cash boost for brain cancer research is announced

Cancer research boost: Theresa May and Tessa Jowell shared a hug as more funding for brain tumour research was announced
Downing Street

Theresa May and Tessa Jowell shared a hug in powerful scenes as they met to discuss proposals to improve care for those with brain cancer.

Former Labour culture secretary Baroness Jowell, who suffers from the disease, had called for more opportunities for “adaptive trials” for treatments.

She and her family met with the Prime Minister as the government and charity Cancer Research UK announced a £45million cash boost for brain tumour research on Thursday.

Cancer research boost: Theresa May and Tessa Jowell shared a hug as more funding for brain tumour research was announced
Downing Street

Over the next five years £45million of funding from the Department of Health and Social Care and Cancer Research UK is to be poured into researching the disease, it was announced today.

Professor Richard Gilbertson, director of the Cancer Research UK Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence at Cambridge University and the ICR, said: “By creating a hub of expertise for childhood brain tumour research in the UK, we aim to make real inroads to tackling these diseases.

“Gathering this expertise together means we can shine a light on the numerous challenges and difficulties that brain tumours pose and discover new treatments to ensure that more children survive their disease.”

Some £20million of the new funds will come from Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt's department, which will be topped up by an extra £25million from Cancer Research UK over five years, the charity said.

As Baroness Jowell concluded her speech in the Lords in January, peers, members of the public and Mr Hunt, rose to applaud. The tribute is thought to be the first of its kind in the House of Lords.

Labour former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer of Thoroton paid tribute to Lady Jowell, saying she had done what everyone wanted their politicians to do in "earnestly following noble causes" and trying to make life better for others.

"Tessa has been doing that in every way on every day through years and years."

He said the last few months had not been easy for her but what shone through that time was the extent to which she had "touched other people's lives"

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