Tumour survivor raising awareness

A St Andrews schoolgirl who survived a brain tumour is raising awareness of a potentially lifesaving fundraising campaign.

Madras College pupil Maisie Dury, 16, had surgery to remove a lifethreatening tumour when she was a toddler and, now fully recovered, is taking part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s 10,000 steps a day in February campaign.

“Brain Tumour Research remains a charity really close to my heart,” she said.

“After all the amazing support from my family and friends over the years, it feels good to be taking on a challenge under my own steam, having overcome the disease myself.

“I am one of the lucky ones. There are so many children out there who do not get diagnosed early enough and whose symptoms are often missed.”

Maisie is also raising awareness of the need to seek medical advice about symptoms associated with brain tumours, fearing the pandemic may lead to delays for patients in need of treatment.

She said: “I worry about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on brain tumour patients, especially children, who may not be seen quickly enough to get a diagnosis or to receive the treatment they desperately need.”

According to the charity, brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, but these diseases have in the past received just 1% of the national spend on cancer research.

Maisie was diagnosed with a low-grade central neurocytoma, a type of neuronal tumour, in 2007.

Maisie Dury.