The death of a well-known fund raiser may be of help to people all over Cumbria

Aspatria woman Jackie Hudson, 52, of Brayton Park, is honouring the death of her mother Brenda Fee by offering awareness and support to other patients and families suffering the trauma of brain tumours.

Jackie’s mother died 14 months ago, just eight months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

It was a horrendous experience for the family and one that made Jackie, 52, determined that nobody else should suffer what her family did without support.

Mrs Fee lived in Seaton but was well known as a fundraiser in Workington. She was a member of the United Reformed Church and was dedicated to raising money for a large number of charities.

Jackie said: “She was featured in the Times & Star several times for her efforts."

Jackie raised over £1,000 last summer through events designed to raise awareness of the illness that devastated her family.

Through her research, however, she discovered that there was no face-to-face support for sufferers or families of brain tumour patients.

She added: “My mother suffered many of the symptoms of a brain tumour including fatigue, speech loss, toilet problems, epilepsy, swallowing problems, emotional and personality problems and so many more.

”I also found that this disease is no respecter of age, It affects young and old, yet it seems to receive only a small part of the cancer research budget.”

She said that coping was difficult for the patient and family and often they felt there was nowhere to turn

She said: “It is particularly difficult because patients have to travel to Newcastle for treatment. There is nowhere in West Cumbria they can be treated.”

She said she has raised over £1,000 for a brain tumour charity and has set up a Facebook group called West Cumbria Brain Tumour Awareness. She has also run “awareness stalls” giving out information.

She was then contacted by Whitehaven woman Vicky Todd Mason to help form her support group.

The first meeting will be held in Whitehaven in the Solway Hall, Lowther Street, on Friday, September 11, from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

To ascertain numbers, Jackie has asked people who cannot attend the meeting to contact the Facebook page. For further information, contact Jackie on 07826452821.