Charlotte's Brain Tumour Journey Diagnosis to Death: 951 days Age 19 18.2.97 - 24.2016 I often wonder if the students who were so unkind to you ever feel guilty. Do they ever think about the way they treated you? Do they remember the things they said, the way they made you feel, or the times they made you feel as though you didn't belong? I wonder if, now that they are older, they look back and realise how hurtful their behaviour was. Do they ever think about you and wonder what happened to the girl they were so unkind to? You were a young girl with feelings, hopes, dreams and a future ahead of you. You deserved kindness. You deserved friendship. You deserved to feel accepted for who you were. I wonder if they ever feel ashamed when they think about how they treated you. I wonder if they ever wish they could go back and do things differently. Perhaps some of them do. Perhaps others never give it another thought. I'll never know. But I do know that their words and actions mattered. They mattered then, and they matter when I look back now at everything you went through. I wish they could have seen you through my eyes. I wish they could have understood just how special you were and how much you had to offer the world. You should have had so many more years to discover who you were going to become. And I am left wondering whether any of those who hurt you ever stop to think about the life you lost, the future you never had, and the young woman you should be today. I can't change what happened, Charlotte. But I will always wish that people had been kinder to you. If you would like to support a self-funding brain tumour charity, pop a pound in Charlotte's BAG. 100% of every donation goes directly to brain tumour research in Charlotte’s Lab at King’s College Hospital, London. No salaries. No overheads. No advertising. No merchandise. charlottesbag.org/

Two years ago, I started day one of five sessions of radiotherapy following my diagnosis of Stage 2 breast cancer in May 2024, which had been picked up during a routine mammogram. The physical side of treatment was manageable, but what made radiotherapy incredibly difficult for me was the emotional side. This was day one: Today was far tougher than I ever imagined it would be. For a short time, I experienced first-hand what my daughter endured during her thirty-two days of radiotherapy. I went to my appointment and sat in the same area where Charlotte and I had sat together eleven years ago. I looked across at changing room number one. It was still there, next to the toilets I had so readily run to once Charlotte's treatment sessions had begun. Nothing had changed. Then it was my turn. I climbed onto the treatment table and looked up at the ceiling. There was the image of the sky above me, the same one Charlotte had so often talked about. I looked at that sky, and I cried. Not for me. For Charlotte. In that moment, I realised even more deeply how terrified she must have been. What thoughts must have raced through her mind as she lay there as a teenager, facing an incurable brain tumour and knowing there was a very real possibility that her life would be cut short? I had always known Charlotte was brave. But how she managed to cope with everything she endured is beyond me. The photograph was taken on 23 November 2013, the day after Charlotte completed her radiotherapy. Charlotte received radiotherapy to both her brain and spine. 18 February 1997 – 24 February 2016 Her story, her courage and her legacy will never be forgotten. Fortunately, I had a scan in February of this year, on what would have been Charlotte's 29th birthday, and thankfully, it showed all clear Please RT with thanks If you would like to support a small, self-funding brain tumour charity where 100% of your donation goes directly to research in Charlotte's Lab at King's College Hospital, London, we would be incredibly grateful. No salaries. No overheads. No advertising. No merchandise. charlottesbag.org

Tomorrow, Miles and I are travelling to King’s College Hospital to meet some of the team working in Charlotte’s Lab. We will be able to see first-hand how your donations are being used to support research into brain tumours. It has now been just over10 years since Charlotte passed and not a day passes when I don't think of the daughter I lost to this underfunded cancer. In that time, very little has changed in treatment. The standard NHS chemotherapy  Temozolomide  was licensed in 1999. The six-week course of radiotherapy also remains unchanged. But one thing has changed: Charlotte’s BAG has raised over £378k directly funding research at Charlotte’s Lab, King’s College Hospital, London. The difference with our charity is simple: we self-fund everything. No salaries No overheads No advertising No merchandise We even cover PayPal and PO Box fees personally, so nothing is taken from the charity account. This means 100% of every donation goes directly to research at Charlotte’s Lab, with whom we work closely. Please do think of us if you are thinking of donating to a brain tumour charity. A RT helps so much TY charlottesbag.org/

Imagine donating to a brain tumour charity where 100% of your donation goes directly to research and where you are told how your money is spent. Charlotte’s BAG has raised just over £337,000  The big difference with Charlotte's is simple: we self-fund everything. No salaries No overheads No advertising No merchandise We even cover the PayPal and PO Box fees personally so nothing is taken from the charity account. Meaning that 100% of every donation goes directly to research in Charlotte's LAB, Kings College Hospital. London. with whom we work closely If you are thinking of donating to a charity, please consider supporting Bernie running The London Marathon Please RT TY gofundme.com/f/bernie-runs-t…

I'm so glad that some students come to me for advice rather than worry on their own. One of the students I have seen today has been diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. They will have their operation next week at King's College Hospital and stay on the same ward Charlotte stayed on. I told them to look out for the beautiful fish tank and about what a lovely ward it is. I will email the team and ask them to say hello to them if they are on the ward. They left with a little something to pack in their bag.  charlottesbag.org/ The big difference with Charlotte's is simple: we self-fund everything. No salaries No overheads No advertising No merchandise We even cover the PayPal and PO Box fees personally so nothing is taken from the charity account. Meaning that 100% of every donation goes directly to research in Charlotte's LAB, Kings College Hospital. London. with whom we work closely