The family of an Oxfordshire toddler who died from a brain tumour have raised around £40,000 to fund research into finding a cure for the disease.
Albie Bayliss-Watts was only two years old when he passed away in November 2021, having been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour less than a year prior.
Despite undergoing a 10-hour surgery and chemotherapy, the cancerous cells spread to his cerebrospinal fluid and no further treatment was available.
His family, including mothers Lauren and Hayley, from Didcot, set up a fundraising group known as Albie and Beyond.
The funds raised by the group have gone towards supporting the charity Brain Tumour Research.
Lauren, who since has become a mother to twins, 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."
Albie's grandparents, Sheila and Mick Bayliss, from East Hagbourne, his aunt Amy Watts, and other grandad Andrew Watts, were among a select group of supporters who were recently invited to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence.
Albie's family members visited the labs, spoke with scientists about their work on a cure for the disease and placed seven tiles on the Wall of Hope.
The tiles represent a week of research the family is sponsoring in Albie's name.
The centre focuses on paediatric high-grade gliomas, the deadliest of all childhood cancers.
Albie's grandparents and aunt have participated in several activities to raise funds, including two skydives, supporting the annual Wear A Hat Day campaign, and taking part in Brave the Shave.
Ms Watts 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."
Katrina Jones, head of community fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: "Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002."
Brain Tumour Research is part of a campaign urging the government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours.
Their goal is to ultimately find a cure and improve survival rates and patient outcomes in tandem with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
To find out more about sponsoring a day of research, visit the Brain Tumour Research website.
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