A young woman whose brother was diagnosed with a brain tumour has secured the role of Young Ambassador for the Brain Tumour Charity.

Emma Brittain from Altrincham has stepped into one of the few Young Ambassadorship roles for the charity with a mission to help other families like her own.

Emma’s older brother, Harry, was diagnosed with a low-grade oligodendroglioma brain tumour in January 2020.

He had suffered a seizure and was nearly sent home from hospital before a last-minute full body scan revealed the tumour.

The diagnosis hit the family completely out of the blue as Harry has never shown any signs of health problems or common signs of a brain tumour such as headaches.

Harry has since had surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy – but has had to give up many everyday freedoms like driving, playing football and drinking a pint in the pub.

Messenger Newspapers: Harry was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2020Harry was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2020

However, his 23-year-old sister remains determined to help other families in the same situation and has been specially selected by The Brain Tumour Charity as a young ambassador.

People aged between 18-25 are chosen by the charity to take on the title for two years and to spread awareness of the cause, campaign for the search for a cure and to support others affected by a diagnosis.

Emma is particularly interested in supporting the charity’s aim to reduce the harm of brain tumours as well as campaign to drive down diagnosis times, particularly in light of the pandemic adversely affecting NHS services.

Emma said: “Before Harry was diagnosed, we had a brief understanding of brain tumours but not to the extent that we do now, especially how many different types there are.

“That’s why there’s really no words for how incredible I think the work of The Brain Tumour Charity is.

“I am so grateful for all that they do and I want to be involved as much as possible as well as find support from other people who really do understand what it’s like to experience what we’re going through.”

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world’s leading charity of its kind and remains the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours around the globe.

An estimated 86,000 children and adults in the UK are living with a brain tumour today and is the number one cancer killer among those under 40-years-old.

Emma added: “You never think that something like this will happen to you until it does.

“I want to fight raise awareness and to see improvements in diagnosis.

“We were ‘lucky’ in the sense that Harry was diagnosed relatively quickly, but that isn’t the same for everyone.

“We also need more understanding of brain tumours if we are going to improve prognosis – this disease shouldn’t be something that people die of within a few years, and it is so sad that it is.”