Simone Brennan

This cause is very close to my heart: In April 2023, my daughter Mila, just shy of two years old, started to complain of a sore head. For a month, the “headaches” came and went, until they suddenly seemed to get worse - longer periods and stronger pain.

After seeing three GPs, who reassured me she seemed fine, I took Mila to Emergency at the Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. The wonderful Doctors agreed - Mila presented fine. However, they suggested a brain MRI considering the onset of headaches.

Within a few hours, I was delivered the news that Mila had a tumour in her cerebellum the size of a small lemon - a ‘pilocytic astrocytoma.’ Surgery was needed as soon as possible. Thankfully, Mila was operated on within 24 hours; a nine hour operation which was deemed a success. Mila’s tumour was removed in its entirety, her brain was not impaired in the process, the tumour biopsy results came back benign. All “best case scenario.”

This surgery will (hopefully) be the only treatment Mila will ever need.

I know Mila is one lucky child, in a very unlucky statistic. On average, 3-4 children every week are admitted to the Children’s Hospitals in Melbourne (Royal & Monash) with brain tumours. Not every family are lucky enough to hear the news that their child’s brain tumour is NOT cancerous.

This is heartbreaking, incomprehensible.

There is NO cure for brain cancer. We need more research, more treatment options. Let’s improve outcomes for brain cancer patients - babies, children and adults.

It only takes a minute and any money you can give (no matter how large or small) will go a long way to helping me reach my target.

Thank you, I really appreciate your support. I will be running for Mila and every family who has been affected by brain tumours or brain cancer.