An Oxshott GP surgery is the first in Surrey to display cards and posters to raise awareness about the early diagnosis of brain tumours.

Oxshott Medical Practice, in Holtwood Road, has displayed information about the Headsmart campaign, which aims to enhance the awareness of symptoms of brain tumours in children and young people.

Each week, about 10 children or teenagers have brain tumours diagnosed in the UK and brain tumours kill more children than any other disease or illness in this country.

The campaign has been backed by Dominic Raab, MP for Esher and Walton, who secured a Westminster debate on the subject on September 3, after being approached by Oxshott resident, Ann Pickering.

Mrs Pickering became involved with the campaign after meeting Sacha Langton-Gilks, whose son David died in 2012 from a brain tumour.

The two mothers met in hospital five years ago after Mrs Pickering’s daughter Charlotte, now 16, suffered a brain haemorrhage, aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Charlotte recovered and is doing well after spending five months at the Children’s Trust, Tadworth, where Mrs Pickering is now an ambassador.

Mrs Pickering said: “I got involved with the campaign because at the Children’s Trust, I saw close up the horrific result of late diagnosis of brain tumours. That is why I have been campaigning to try to get Headsmart campaign cards in to all schools across the county.

“This whole campaign is really about educating parents, doctors and teachers. If a child is at school and is a bit dizzy and is sick, it should ring alarm bells. It is just little things to pick up on and putting all the symptoms together.”

The campaign card is similar to those outlining the symptoms and signs of meningitis, which has held people across the country to recognise the signs of the potentially fatal disease.

Mr Raab wants schools across the borough and county to distribute leaflets alerting teachers and parents to the signs of brain tumours.

Mr Raab said: “This campaign is a real opportunity to get the diagnosis delay for brain tumours in children down to five weeks, which represents best practice in the West. If we can do that, we'll be saving hundreds of families heartache each year.

“I have already asked Surrey County Council to take up the idea, and their response was very positive. Next, I will be taking a delegation to meet the Health Minister and Public Health England, to see how we can get the distribution of these cards rolled out through our schools nationwide.”

Currently, it takes longer than three months for half of all children and young people to be diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The Headsmart campaign aims to reduce the diagnosis time so that half of all youngsters with brain tumours are diagnosed with six weeks of developing symptoms of signs of a tumour.

To find out more about the campaign, visit headsmart.org.uk.

 

Symptoms of brain tumours

  • In under fives: Persistent/recurrent vomiting; abnormal balance/walking/co-ordination; abnormal eye movements; behaviour changes; fits or seizures; abnormal head position.
  • In children aged five to 11: Persistent/recurrent vomiting; persistent/recurrent headache; abnormal balance/walking/co-ordination; abnormal eye movements; blurred or double vision; behaviour changes; fits or seizures; abnormal head position.
  • In young people ages 12 to 18: Persistent/recurrent vomiting; persistent/recurrent headache; abnormal eye movements; blurred or double vision; abnormal balance/walking/co-ordination; behaviour change; fits or seizures; delayed or arrested puberty.
  • Additional symptoms to be aware of: reduced consciousness; diabetes insipidus; abnormal growth