MSPs from across the political spectrum joined forces last week in the fight against childhood brain tumours.
Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing Alex Neil was among those who pledged their support for the HeadSmart campaign, which aims to cut the time between first symptoms and diagnosis of brain tumours in children.
Since it was launched in 2011, the campaign - run by The Brain Tumour Charity - has reduced the average diagnosis time from 9.1 weeks to 6.9 weeks.
HeadSmart aims ultimately to distribute pocket-sized information cards, listing brain tumour symptoms, to every Scottish household with children.
Speaking at a parliamentary reception attended by MSPs, clinicians, and families affected by brain tumours, Mr Neil praised the “impressive” work of HeadSmart in raising awareness of brain tumours in children and young people.
The reception was sponsored by Scottish Conservative MSP Cameron Buchanan, who was himself diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2010.
Mr Buchanan has tabled a Parliamentary motion congratulating The Brain Tumour Charity for the HeadSmart campaign, its work in Scotland, and its achievements as the largest dedicated funder of brain tumour research in Europe.
Commenting, Jamie McGrigor MSP said:
“I commend the work of The Brain Tumour Charity for raising awareness of this condition, and I wish the charity every success with its campaign”.
Sarah Lindsell, chief executive of The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “HeadSmart has already achieved an enormous amount by bringing down average diagnosis time from 9.1 weeks to 6.9 weeks.
“The support of MSPs from across the political spectrum will help us to drive forward the campaign in Scotland and reduce that figure even further, saving lives and reducing life-long disabilities among children with brain tumours”.
Among those backing HeadSmart are Tanya and Allan Ross, who lost their 15-month-old son Harris to a brain tumour in 2010. The charity they set up in his memory, STAR for Harris, has donated £10,000 to HeadSmart.
Harris was seen by four different GPs and eventually admitted to hospital with suspected dehydration before he was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the end of 2009.
Mrs Ross, a teacher from Fort William, said Harris changed from a “bright, sparkly, alert” six-month-old into a lethargic baby who stopped eating, vomited regularly, and was unusually irritable.
She added: “Before he was finally diagnosed with having a brain tumour, he had ticked the final two symptoms to be aware of from the HeadSmart cards - seizures and abnormal eye movements”.
“We are left with so many “What if…?” questions. What if Harris had been diagnosed sooner and had his operation earlier, would he now be a thriving five-year-old, excited about nursery?
“We wish he'd been diagnosed sooner and we still had our inspirational son. We wish we weren't left with “What if…?”.
Mrs Ross said that she and her husband were determined to help prevent families from having to endure a similar ordeal in future.
“Unfortunately and wrongly, we aren't the only parents who are left with the concerns and uncertainty of the impact that late diagnosis had on our child.
“That is why, as part of Harris's living legacy, we are committed to helping raise awareness and working in collaboration with campaigns such as HeadSmart.
“We wish we'd had information cards like the HeadSmart ones".
Above: Jamie lends his support to the HeadSmart campaign at the Scottish Parliament