Langford aunt of toddler who died of a brain tumour visits research centre focused on finding a cure

The aunt and grandparents of a toddler who died from a brain tumour, have helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds, to help fund research to find a cure for the devastating disease.

Albie Bayliss-Watts was just two when he died in November 2021, less than a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour after an out-of-the-blue seizure. He had undergone treatment which included surgery lasting 10 hours and brutal chemotherapy, but cancerous cells spread to his cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) and there was no further treatment available.

Since Albie died, his heartbroken family, including mums Lauren and Hayley, has set up a fundraising group called Albie and Beyond which has raised around £40,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

Aunt Amy Watts, of Langford has taken on two fundraising skydives, and gandparents Sheila and Mick have supported Brain Tumour Research’s annual Wear A Hat Day campaign along with Hagbourne Pre-School where Sheila is the early years manager, while Mick took on a fundraising Brave the Shave.

This week Albie’s family members toured the labs and spoke to scientists about their work to find a cure for the disease, before placing seven tiles on the Wall of Hope, representing a week of research the family is sponsoring in Albie’s name.

Amy said: “I hope the money we’ve raised is life-changing. It won’t bring Albie back but I hope it makes a difference for families in the future.

“It is heartening to hear from the scientists about the work being done in their quest to find a cure, which can’t come soon enough.”

Lauren, who has since given birth to twin daughters, Lorelai and Astrid, now a year old, said: “We miss Albie so dearly and so painfully and talk about him often with the girls so they grow up knowing all about their big brother.

“The options for families faced with this devastating diagnosis are so limited due to a lack of funding for research. Albie’s aggressive brain tumour was so rare it couldn’t be identified, which is why research into high-grade paediatric brain tumours is so crucial.

“We simply must do better for our children and bring much-needed hope.”

Katrina Jones, head of community fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Sheila, Mick and Amy for their fundraising in Albie’s memory and hope that the visit to our Centre of Excellence at ICR offered a useful insight into all we’re doing to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.

“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. This has to change.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

Click here to out find more about sponsoring a day of research.