The National Brain Appeal

✨ The power of community ✨ Today, we celebrate the incredible fundraiser, the 2023-24 Mayor of Merton, Councillor Gill Manly, who raised an astounding £30,000 for The National Brain Appeal and brain cancer research. She was inspired by the memory of lifelong Merton resident, Baroness Margaret McDonagh, who passed away last year from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Councillor Manly shared, “Margaret was an incredible woman, a mentor to me, and always gave me good advice. She was responsible for encouraging me to go into politics and helped me develop the skills I needed. It was one of the best decisions of my life. She continues to be an inspiration, and I’m so grateful for the guidance she gave me.” She added, “The treatment for glioblastoma has not changed in 20 years, and its outcomes have not improved in 30 years. Being elected Mayor of Merton was a wonderful experience, and it gave me the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for brain cancer research in Margaret’s memory.” From a sponsored head shave to show solidarity for brain cancer patients to several community events, Councillor Manly and her community have been phenomenal in raising crucial awareness. “The local community was so generous. Our MP, Dame Siobhain McDonagh, is well-loved, and people are touched by her passionate campaigning to improve treatments for people with brain cancer since losing her beloved sister Margaret. This really resonated with our community, and they were incredibly supportive of all the events I organised in Margaret’s memory,” said Councillor Manly. Read her full story: https://lnkd.in/eWUdpq7K 📸 Photo credit: Marie Mangan #BrainCancerAwareness #FundraisingHeroes #CommunitySupport

Bridging the gap in neurological research 🧠🔬 We recently toured the construction site of the upcoming New Home for Neuroscience at Grays Inn Road and caught up with Professor John Duncan, Trustee of The National Brain Appeal, consultant neurologist at #TheNationalHospital, and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s clinical lead for the new facility. We learned about the vision for this state-of-the-art neuroscience centre and how it will transform patient care and treatment, accelerating the discovery of new treatments and cures. Read the interview https://lnkd.in/evi9QFvZ Photo credit Jane Ferguson Photography #neuroscience #neurology #medicalresearch #healthcareinnovation #patientcare

Yesterday the team broke a sweat running the ASICS London 10K for The National Brain Appeal, who support cruicial projects in neurological disease 🏃♀️ #TeamBrainAppeal #London10K UCL Mike Hanna Robert Pitceathly William Macken Chiara Pizzamiglio

Incredible fundraising from Carpmaels & Ransford! We're only halfway through the year, and they have already achieved more than half of their £10,000 fundraising target for The National Brain Appeal. From quizzes to bake sales, and a "Let's Not Do Lunch," they're making a big impact for the groundbreaking neuroscience centre at Grays Inn Road, London coming in 2025. Plus, they'll be joining us for our 40th anniversary Thames Path walk in September! Partner Isobel Barry shares: "We're delighted to support The National Brain Appeal as our Charity of the Year for 2024. Healthcare innovation is very close to our hearts at Carpmaels, so we are thrilled to support a charity which is doing so much to fund pioneering research into the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with neurological and neuromuscular conditions.” Thank you, Carpmaels & Ransford, for your incredible dedication and generosity 💙 #fundraising #charityoftheyear #philanthropy

Vanessa’s Legacy: A Journey of Courage and Love "By the time my wife got a diagnosis, her long and harrowing deterioration had already begun. By the end, I was in awe of her." A deeply moving article by The Guardian's rugby writer and Rare Dementia Support member, Michael Aylwin, published today, shares the story of his late wife, Vanessa, who was diagnosed with familial Alzheimer’s disease in her late 40s and died at the age of 53. He talks in depth about the profound impact that this rare form of dementia had on their family. "It is true, though, that this is a hateful disease once it starts to take hold. Its ultimate genius is the way it comes for the very soul of you. You never hear about a brave fight against dementia, as you do so many other conditions, because you can’t fight it. To fight is to make a choice, which requires cognition. By degrees, dementia disables that faculty, rendering its victim helpless." We invite you to read Michael and Vanessa's story and join us in honouring her legacy. Read the full article https://lnkd.in/e7WjshRG We fund Rare Dementia Support, a vital service for people affected by familial Alzheimer’s and other rare forms of dementia. Learn more here raredementiasupport.org #AlzheimersAwareness #FamilialAlzheimersDisease #RareDementiaSupport

Continuing the legacy of good news 💙 Long-time supporters of The National Brain Appeal may remember this previous version of our newspaper, The National 📰 Back in the summer of 2000, we marked the launch of the UK's first specialist brain injury unit (now the Traumatic Brain Injury Outpatient Clinic) at the National Hospital, unveiled the portrait of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and saw a vintage #TeamBrainAppeal performance that raised £200,000 at the London Marathon. Our latest issue upholds this tradition. Learn about the significant impact of our fundraisers, their moving stories, and the pioneering projects launching next year: the Rare Dementia Support Centre and the groundbreaking neuroscience centre at Grays Inn Road. These initiatives bring us closer to our mission of transforming life for the millions of people living with neurological conditions. 📖 Read today: https://lnkd.in/eYFSDNSb #goodnews #neurologicalcare #brainresearch

🎂 Happy Birthday to the NHS! 🎉 As we celebrate 76 remarkable years of the NHS and its support for pioneering neurological care and research at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, we are thrilled to announce the newest trustee to join The National Brain Appeal: ✨ Glenda Baillie – Director of Nursing for University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's Specialist Hospitals Board. With over 25 years of experience in acute, corporate, and educational nursing positions, Glenda is committed to ensuring the highest quality care for all patients and developing an empowered and enabled workforce. From groundbreaking treatments to compassionate patient care at #TheNationalHospital, join us in celebrating the incredible NHS and welcoming Glenda. Share your stories and show support by reading her inspiring journey at https://lnkd.in/eTMBnwq2 Here’s to many more years of excellence, innovation, and compassion! 💙 Photo credit Marie Mangan #NHS76 #PioneeringCare #NewTrustee

🎉 We're delighted to announce the winner of our Christmas card competition, Catherine Archer! 🎉 Catherine, a retired teacher and A Letter in Mind regular, discovered The National Brain Appeal after undergoing spinal surgery at Queen Square in 2000. Her beautiful design, created with watercolours and a fine-nibbed pen, features a robin against a vibrant backdrop of flowers and will be part of our upcoming Christmas range. We can’t wait to share it with you! She says, “I make cards every Christmas and always do one with a robin because it was my father’s favourite bird. Whenever a robin comes into the garden, I always think about him. So, this card is a tribute to my father and my love of nature.” Learn about her journey and why she's thrilled to use her art skills to raise funds for Queen Square: https://lnkd.in/eSfz_Ajz #ChristmasCard #ArtForACause #CharityTuesday #ArtForGood #Watercolour #FlowerArt

🌟 Be a Champion for Change! 🌟 We're thrilled to celebrate our 40th anniversary by walking the first 28km of the Thames Path Challenge, and we’re looking for sponsors to help make this event unforgettable! By sponsoring this event, you’ll be helping us maximise our fundraising efforts so that as much money as possible can go towards funding crucial advances in diagnosis, treatment, and research at #QueenSquare, helping us transform life for the millions living with neurological and neuromuscular conditions. As a sponsor, you’ll receive: - Brand visibility at the Thames Path Challenge - Recognition in our promotional communications and on our social media channels - The chance to connect with our dedicated community of supporters - And more! Learn more about sponsorship opportunities by contacting Shivani Patel, our Major Gifts and Partnerships Officer, at [email protected]. If you or someone you know would be interested in sponsoring, we'd love to hear from you! #thamespathchallenge #sponsorshipopportunity #brainresearch #makingadifference

Today marks the one-year anniversary of our Rare Space Garden opening at Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway! Watch this video produced by Project Giving Back, who sponsored our garden for the 2023 Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show and its relocation to Exbury Gardens in the New Forest. Filmed by Matt Greenwell, it features our then chief executive Theresa Dauncey, dementia expert, Professor Nick Fox, Rare Dementia Support members Helena and David Clarke, and garden designer Charlie Hawkes. They discuss the importance of the garden and its positive impact on people living with rare forms of dementia. Charlie created this award-winning garden with input from members of Rare Dementia Support, particularly those living with posterior cortical atrophy (#PCA), a condition that affects visual and spatial awareness. The garden offers a balance between exploration and calm navigation, fostering autonomy and hope for people affected by these conditions. Now is a great time to enjoy the summer at Exbury and visit the garden before it makes its permanent move to the world’s first specialist centre for people with rare forms of dementia in 2025 - the Rare Dementia Support Centre, part of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology in London's Woburn Square. Learn about the garden: https://lnkd.in/epQbJPJp #RareSpaceGarden #GardensForGoodCauses #ProjectGivingBack #AllAboutPlants #PosteriorCorticalAtrophy #ExburyGardens #RHSChelsea #RHSChelseaFlowerShow #DementiaAwareness #RareDementiaSupport