Father of Woodford Green girl with rare brain tumour calls for more funding from government

Kaleigh Lau (Image: Archant)

Kaleigh Lau, from Woodford Green, was diagnosed with a very aggressive and inoperable brain tumour, known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas (DIPG), in April this year.

Her father Scott Lau, 40, says he wants to do more to ensure other families don’t go through the same experience.

The rare condition, which almost exclusively affects children aged between four and ten years old, currently has no cure.

He said: “We are desperate for more research to be done.

“Whilst other cancer research has improved survival rates over the years, the lack of funding for DIPG means there has been no improvement in this area.

“Only one per cent of national funding on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours.”

Mr Lau has created a petition and hopes it raises awareness of the condition at a national level.

On July 16, the government responded after it reached 10,000 sigantures but now Mr Lau hopes to reach 100,000 before December 3, in order for the topic to be debated in parliament.

He said: “Why are we letting innocent young children die without a chance that they rightly deserve?

“Without funding for more research into this devastating illness, there is no future for the children and the families that are suffering.

“Currently there are things out there, but they are untested, so we essentially have to pay for her to be the guinea pig.

“We want to make sure other families don’t hear the same words that we do.”

To support the petition for more funding, click here and learn more about the condition here.