Shenley Wood charity founder steps down after 25 years.
One of the leading pioneers in the brain tumour community is stepping down today, after 25 years of dedication to her work.
Sue Farrington Smith MBE has been synonymous with improving outcomes for brain tumour patients ever since she discovered how devastating the disease was when her niece was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour and died aged seven.
Sue went on to establish the first national charity, Brain Tumour Research, in Shenley Wood, which raised more than £43 million by the time Sue retired as chief executive in 2023.
The charity also set up five Centres of Excellence focused on finding a cure for all types of brain tumours. After serving on the Board of Trustees (including as Vice Chair), Sue is moving on to become an Ambassador and activist from 1st August.
Sue, 68, from Buckingham, first realised the injustices facing those diagnosed with brain tumours when her seven-year-old niece Alison Phelan was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour in 2000.
She discovered that treatments were limited, survival prognoses poor and less than £1 million a year was being invested into research. Alison died 10 months after diagnosis from a brain stem glioma.
The family set up Ali’s Dream and Sue started to develop relationships with other brain tumour charities across the UK, while building a vision and plan for what needed to be done nationally to support patients and their families, advance treatments and find a cure.
In 2009, Sue co-founded Brain Tumour Research. The charity was already raising more than £1 million by 2013 and had raised more than £43 million by the time Sue retired as chief executive, following radical treatment for low-grade abdominal surgery.
In the 2017 New Year’s Honours list, Sue was awarded an MBE for services to brain tumour research and awareness-raising.
“I’m stepping down and becoming an ambassador, to look after myself and dedicate my time more fully to my other passions – my family and my church,” said Sue.
“However, I remain committed to the charity, our vision to find a cure for all types of brain tumours and our mission to increase the national investment in research into brain tumours, to bring parity with other cancers.
“I am very proud of all that we have achieved over the last 16 years and the eight years before Brain Tumour Research was founded. My passion will not wane – I will always be co-founder and will continue to support the next era of the charity’s growth as an ambassador and activist, and refer my network to Brain Tumour Research, as well as attend events, fundraise and donate.”
More information: https://braintumourresearch.org.
