Miles & Alex's first 10k run!
Charlotte’s BAG stands out as one of the few charities in the UK dedicated to funding research into glioblastoma multiforme and raising awareness about this rare, and almost always fatal, brain cancer that can strike at any age. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to the significant brain development occurring during these years, complicating treatment efforts for glioblastoma.
Since the introduction of temozolomide in 1990, there have been no major advances in brain cancer treatment. The lack of funding is stark, with brain cancer research receiving approximately only 1% of the annual cancer research budget. This underfunding is a key factor behind the minimal progress made in brain cancer treatment, in contrast to other cancers which have benefited from substantial investments and seen significant improvements in survival rates.
Charlotte Eades, who passed away from glioblastoma just one week after her 19th birthday in February 2016, left a lasting impact on many young people facing cancer.
The name Charlotte’s BAG, standing for Battle Against Glioblastoma, also pays tribute to Charlotte’s love for handbags. Our commitment to self-funding ensures that every single penny donated is directed towards research efforts.
Do you ever wonder when donating to a charity where all of your donation goes? Unlike the large charities we have no overheads, so we can tell you how 100% of your donation is spent. In March, we gave the team at King's College Hospital, London, £42,000 to be spent on an instrument to rapidly sequence DNA. Developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), below is a summary of what this instrument is capable of:
The instrument can determine the sequence of the DNA and the modified chemical groups attached to the DNA bases. We currently use two separate machines to do this, the DNA sequencer and EPIC arrays to look at modified DNA bases, this data is used to classify tumours. With ONT we have the chance to rapidly classify tumours, certainly within 24 hours and possibly within hours. The machine will also provide sequence data and depending on the quality of this data we may be able to use this as well. The ONT instrument therefore holds promise, in rapidly diagnosing a patient's tumour and possibly improving surgical outcomes by reducing the risk of irreversible brain damage.
To date we have raised £305,725.67 all of which has been donated to Charlotte's Lab at Kings College Hospital, London. We have discussed with King's how future donations will be spent. They would like us to continue funding ONT, long read gene sequencing for ultra-rapid classification of brain tumours. If you would like to help us fund vital research into brain tumours, please consider our small but very valuable charity.
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Charlotte's BAG
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