On-going support for children with brain tumours - UK

On-going support for children with brain tumours – UK

Charity:
Tom's Trust

Tom’s Trust is dedicated to providing psychological support to children with brain tumours and their families. By supporting the whole family, we help them to create their brightest possible future beyond diagnosis. Psychological and neuropsychological support to children with brain tumours and their families from diagnosis onwards, including assessment, therapy, school reintegration and family support.

Country

UK

Start Year:

2026

Run Time:

1 year

Participant Age:

All

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What is Co-Funding?

Co-funding with the ALMT allows individuals, other Trusts and Foundations, and Companies to contribute funds directly to individual, vetted and approved, project partnerships. With fifteen years of experience awarding grants and working in partnership with children’s organisations around the world, the ALMT is best placed to support you in your philanthropy.

Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and young adults under 40 and account for more than a quarter of all childhood cancers. Approximately 500 children aged 0–19 are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year in the UK. They often require lengthy treatment involving neurosurgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Alongside the physical impact, many experience anxiety, trauma, emotional distress and significant disruption to education, friendships and family life.

Despite improved survival rates, 62% of children who do survive a brain tumour live with long-term disabilities including learning difficulties, cognitive impairment, hearing loss, blindness and reduced motor function. Families are often navigating uncertainty and major life changes whilst also trying to understand the long-term impact on their child’s development and future.

Tom’s Trust exists to ensure that no family faces these challenges alone, providing specialist clinical psychology support embedded within NHS neuro-oncology teams, alongside wider support for parents, siblings and schools. Without specialist psychological intervention, many children experience worsening mental health difficulties, increased educational challenges and poorer long-term outcomes.

This grant contributes half of the funding for a new part-time Clinical Psychologist role to be embedded within the neuro-oncology pathway at Bristol Royal Hospital. They will coordinate and deliver specialist psychological support across each child’s unique journey. The level of support each family receives varies – some may need brief interventions and practical support around diagnosis or returning to school, whilst others may require ongoing therapeutic input across many years due to long-term cognitive, emotional or rehabilitation needs.

Tom’s Trust will work with the clinical team and NHS Trust to demonstrate the impact of embedded specialist psychology support, with the long-term aim of securing sustainable NHS investment and integrating this role permanently within NHS provision.