Former Beaconsfield Mayor Sandy Saunders was one of the guests invited to the Westminster reception to mark the 10th anniversary of the Brain Tumour Research charity.

Sandy’s eldest daughter Diana sadly passed away aged 42 in 2002, just three weeks after being diagnosed with incurable glioblastoma multiforme. Follow his loss, Sandy and his family set up The Diana Ford Trust to fund vital research into the disease. The Diana Ford Trust merged with Brain Tumour Research in 2009.

The Westminster reception marked the launch of the charity’s new manifesto, named ‘Find a Cure’, which set out plans to increase national investment into research and treatment options to £35m by 2025.

Sandy, President of the Board of Trustees at Brain Tumour Research, said: “I was delighted to be invited to this event to celebrate 10 years since the launch of Brain Tumour Research.

“It was a lovely occasion and great to meet up with so many people from the brain tumour community who have played a role in transforming research into brain tumours over the last decade or more.”

Brain Tumour Research Chief Executive Sue Farrington Smith MBE lost her niece Alison Phelan to a brain tumour in June 2001, three weeks before her eighth birthday. She said: “We have met so many astonishing, powerful, helpful, angry, devastated, yet determined people. Determined to join us in helping to fund the fight and find a cure for this devastating disease.

“We want to thank Sandy, each and every one of you, and also all of those we are yet to meet. We are inspired by all of you. We wouldn’t be here without you. And we are here for you.

“The next decade is set to see huge advances in our quest to improve outcomes for patients and their families and we hope everyone will stay with us as we continue our work to improve treatments and, ultimately, find a cure for brain tumours.”