Ashley Giles and wife Stine launch new brain tumour charity for Birmingham
FORMER Warwickshire and England cricketer Ashley Giles, together with his wife Stine have helped launch a brand new fund to support brain tumour care at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
In 2006, the England Ashes tour in Australia came to an abrupt end for Giles as he rushed home to be with Stine, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
After successful removal of the tumour and further treatment they were both devastated when in 2012 they learned that two more tumours had been discovered which required subsequent immediate attention.
The treatment Stine received was so new that she was one of the first people in the UK to go through it. She underwent treatment on a new TomoTherapy machine, bought by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity just weeks before.
Without it there were little options of treatment left. Experiencing first-hand how important research and new treatments were, Stine promised herself that if everything went well and her prognosis was good that she would endeavour to raise funds to help fund brain tumour research in the future.
Thankfully Stine’s pioneering treatment worked well and, although she continues to have regular checks and scans, she is back enjoying life with her family and is now fulfilling the promise she made to support research into brain tumours through the launch of a brand new fund, The Giles’ Trust.
Continuing under the care of Professor Garth Cruickshank at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, money raised through The Giles’ Trust will be directed to world class brain tumour research here in the West Midlands.
The Giles’ Trust was launched at Edgbaston Cricket Stadium, scene of so many of her husband’s triumphs.
The event (pictured) attracted more than 300 people, who enjoyed a dinner, auction and 80s-themed party.
The evening raised in excess of £30,000, enough to fund The Giles’ Trust Clinical Research Nurse for twelve months, helping Prof Cruickshank to double the number of patients taking part in brain tumour research at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Stine said: “The evening was a great success but it doesn’t stop there. Brain tumours are one of the most underfunded diseases and yet the biggest causes of death especially in children which is why we felt it so important to set up the trust. We’d love more people to get involved in fundraising for such an important cause.”
More information can be found at www.thegilestrust.org
