Amani fundraising will help in tumour research
FAMILY OF 23-YEAR-OLD DONATES TREATMENT MONEY TO INSTITUTE
DONATIONS of nearly £100,000 raised in memory of a 23-year-old woman who died of an aggressive brain tumour will help in the research to find a cure for the disease.
Amani Liaquat, from Luton in Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM) on her 22nd birthday in April 2020.
She died in February, six weeks before Tom Parker, lead singer of band The Wanted, with whom she formed a close friendship because of their shared diagnosis.
After her death, Tom Parker posted a tribute on his Instagram page, saying: “In the early hours of this morning Amani sadly passed away. My thoughts and love are with her family. She was an incredible young lady. Bright, smart, funny and I had the greatest pleasure to have met her.”
Liaquat’s family had raised more than £100,000 in 24 hours to source life-prolonging treatment from Germany.
Her parents, Yasmin Stannard and Khuram Liaquat, have now donated £40,000 to Brain Tumour Research from the remaining donations not used for her treatment in the hope of helping others. Later this year, they will be joined by Liaquat’s sisters Ruqayyah and Maleehah and other family members on a visit to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London where the near £100,000 they have donated will fund vital work to help find a cure for brain tumours.
Yasmin said: “Amani loved being involved in campaigning and raising awareness about the lack of research into brain cancer research. It brought purpose and focus to her darkest days and gave her something to focus on outside of herself and her own problems. Many times she could be heard saying ‘it might be too late for me but I want to make a change for others’.
“We were overwhelmed to receive so many crowdfunding donations and will always be grateful for everyone’s kindness and generosity in helping us access treatment for Amani abroad. We hope that by gifting what is left to Brain Tumour Research will ensure others facing the same diagnosis will have a different outcome in the future.”
Khuram added: “We hope the money we’ve donated will help find a cure for this devastating disease. Amani was my hero and the most amazing ambassador for Brain Tumour Research and for that to be her legacy would have made her so incredibly proud.”
After her diagnosis, Liaquat became a supporter of Brain Tumour Research and was a part of the charity’s #BrainTumourPetition and Stop the Devastation campaigns.
She also undertook several fundraising and campaigning activities for the charity, including setting up the Fight4Hope fundraising group and organising Luton’s first ever Walk of Hope. Her efforts have raised more than £54,000.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Amani’s death is a tragedy but the fact she did so much in her short life and had such a profound impact on the brain tumour community and beyond is a legacy she and her family can be immensely proud of.
“Amani won’t be forgotten and her legacy will live on in the Fight4Hope fundraising group she helped set up and in the many research days, she has helped fund. We’re indebted to her and her family for their incredible support and incredibly grateful to all who knew and loved Amani for their help in raising funds for our charity.
“Amani’s story is a stark reminder that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, historically, just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.