Header image for the Christmas Appeal showing Jane, Simon and their daughter Alice sitting together on the sofa, with Alice cuddling her soft toy. Beside them, a smaller photo shows Alice in a Christmas jumper holding a lit candle and smiling. Decorative stars and hand-drawn hearts surround the images, with the message: “You can bring hope and support this Christmas to families like Alice’s.”

Christmas Appeal

Illustration-style image, with an irregular teal frame, of Alice wearing a royal blue top, looking upwards smiling and sitting in a cosy chair beside a white and pink decorated Christmas treeChristmas Appeal

Bringing comfort and support to families this Christmas

Christmas should feel magical. But for families facing a brain tumour diagnosis, it can be an overwhelming and frightening time. This year, Alice and her parents are navigating Christmas with news that has changed everything — and their story shows why your support matters so much.

Your kindness can give families like theirs the strength, comfort and specialist support they urgently need.

Donate to the Christmas Appeal

 

Meet Alice – and discover why your support means the world

Image of Alice cuddled up, holding her soft toy.Alice is 10 years old. She loves Christmas — the games, the food, the giggles with her cousin. But this year feels different.

In March, her mum, Jane, was told she had a brain tumour that can’t be operated on. The news left the whole family scared and unsure what the future would hold. To comfort Alice, Jane gave her a little teddy bear with a heartbeat and her recorded voice. It’s something Alice holds tight to when she feels worried.

When I have a bad day, seeing my counsellor helps me feel brave again.

Alice keeps many of her feelings tucked away because she doesn’t want to make things harder for her parents. But when they found Brain Tumour Support, everything changed. Alice now sees her counsellor, also called Jane, who helps her feel calmer, braver and understood.

Your support makes sessions like these possible — giving children like Alice a safe space to talk and families the reassurance that they’re not facing this alone.

Read more about how your gift helps

You can make that happen

I hope other children who have a poorly mummy or daddy can get this help as well. – Alice, age 10

You can make that happen. This heartfelt message from Alice shows exactly why your gift matters this Christmas. With your help, more families can receive the emotional support, counselling and reassurance they desperately need at their darkest moments.

Donate now
Illustration-style image of Jane and her daughter Alice wearing Christmas jumpers and festive headbands, smiling together at the camera inside an irregular teal frame.

Your gift this Christmas could make all the difference

Every gift, no matter the size, brings comfort and support to families who are facing the overwhelming impact of a brain tumour diagnosis at Christmas. These amounts show just how much your kindness can do.

£10 – Spark a moment of calm

Buys a craft pack for a children’s counselling session, giving a child space to express their emotions safely and creatively.

It’s a small gift that helps them feel grounded when everything else feels uncertain.

£50 – Bring comfort on their hardest days

Helps pay for a support session for a child or parent, offering reassurance, guidance and a moment to breathe.

This support can be the difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling understood.

£100 – Give a family strength to carry on

Covers the cost of a one-to-one counselling session for a family like Alice’s, helping them cope with fear, change and the emotional weight of diagnosis.

Your kindness provides them with a safe space to talk openly and feel less alone.

Illustration of Alice sitting on the floor with her soft teddy on her lap, reading a book and looking thoughtful, outlined with an irregular teal frame.

The difference you make

6,000 people

received support from us last year.

900+ families

had dedicated, ongoing help through their diagnosis.

700 counselling sessions

delivered to families in need of emotional support.

Every 40 minutes

a family in the UK faces the devastating news of a brain tumour diagnosis

Jane, Simon and Alice’s story: a mum’s unexpected diagnosis and the strength of a family

When Jane was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumour, her world – and her family’s – changed overnight. In this moving story, she shares the shock of her diagnosis, the impact on her daughter Alice, and how they have found strength together through the hardest of times.

In this first part of their story, Jane describes the moment everything changed — an unexpected early-morning call from her GP, an urgent appointment she assumed would be routine, and the overwhelming shock of hearing the words “you have a brain tumour.” With no symptoms and no warning signs, the news felt impossible. Jane talks openly about how surreal it was to walk into the surgery feeling well and walk out with her world turned upside down, unsure what lay ahead and asking the only question that made sense in that moment: “How is this happening?”

The voices of those who love her

Behind Jane’s diagnosis is a family navigating shock, change and a new reality together. In these videos, Simon shares the challenges of trying to stay strong amid the chaos, while Alice talks about the worries she carried quietly and the comfort she found in having someone to talk to. Their reflections shine a light on the courage, vulnerability and resilience within families facing a brain tumour diagnosis.

Alice's story


In this part of their story, Jane and Simon open up about the moment they prepared to tell their 10-year-old daughter Alice about the diagnosis. Here, Alice shares her own perspective — the worries beneath the surface, the comfort she found in support from school and Brain Tumour Support, and how having a safe space to talk has helped her manage her feelings.

Simon's story

Here, Simon reflects on what it was like to support Jane through her diagnosis while trying to manage his own emotions in the background. He talks about the chaos of those early days, the pressure to stay strong, and how opening up, asking for help and finding small moments of control made a difference. His honesty shows just how vital support is for loved ones too.

Help us be there when families need us most

Your generosity makes sure no one has to face a brain tumour alone — at Christmas or any other time of year. Whether you choose to donate, stay connected, or find support for yourself, every action helps make our community stronger.

Make a gift

Make an immediate difference for families who urgently need emotional and practical support.

Donate

Support every month

Provide steady, reliable help that families can depend on long after Christmas has passed.

Donate with regular giving

Alice's story

Follow Alice’s journey and see how your kindness brings hope and comfort to families all year round.

Read more

We're here for you

If you or someone you love is affected by a brain tumour, we’re here to help whenever you need us.

Get support

Other ways to support families this Christmas

If donating isn’t possible right now, there are still meaningful ways to make a difference.

Christmas fundraising ideas

Simple, fun ways to raise money with friends, family or colleagues this festive season.

See ideas

Play the Winter Raffle

Every ticket supports families — and gives you the chance to win some brilliant prizes.

Play now

Organise a festive fundraiser

From bake sales to Christmas jumper days, your event can help bring hope to more families.

Start planning

Donate in memory of a loved one

A thoughtful way to honour someone special while supporting families who need comfort this Christmas.

Give in memory

How your support helps families facing a brain tumour diagnosis

Every 40 minutes, another family in the UK hears the devastating words: “You have a brain tumour.” Behind each diagnosis is a parent, a child, a partner or a loved one trying to cope with life-changing news.

Your support means families don’t have to face this alone. Here’s how you make a difference:

  • Specialist emotional support: From one-to-one counselling to family sessions, our qualified team help adults and children navigate fear, uncertainty and grief.
  • Practical guidance and information: Our Support Professionals work with families from the moment of diagnosis — helping them understand treatment, access resources, and find their footing again.
  • Space for children to talk and play: Creative therapies, craft sessions and child-specific counselling give young people the tools to express emotions they often can’t put into words.
  • A community they can lean on: Our support groups, online communities and ongoing check-ins ensure no family feels isolated at any stage of their journey.
Donate to help families today