Farming family launches appeal for cancer research after losing daughter

The farming family aim to raise £5,000 to help fund brain tumour research
The farming family aim to raise £5,000 to help fund brain tumour research

A Norfolk farming family are launching a Christmas appeal having lost their daughter to a brain tumour.

The festive season will never be the same for the Barbers who live in Wymondham, Norfolk, after the death of Charlotte this year.

Diagnosed as an eight-year-old, Charlotte defied the odds and the doctors’ prognoses to live to the age of 37.

The eldest daughter of farmers Julie and David, Charlotte passed away in May having endured surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

And now, just seven months on, her mum and dad Julie and David, along with sisters Annabel, 33, and Lizzie, 26, who all live together at Cavick House Farm in Wymondham, Norfolk, are working with the Brain Tumour Research charity in order to give hope to others.

The family are now aiming to raise £5,000 for the charity.

'Happy life on the farm'

For 29 years the family cared for Charlotte after she developed complications following surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Over the three decades, she had more than 40 anaesthetics and, because she had regular seizures, her mum didn’t have a proper night’s sleep for 28 years.

Julie said: “Charlotte had a happy life at home on the farm, watching the animals and enjoying the garden. She gradually recovered from the chemo and radiotherapy, but sadly lost her reading, writing, numerical skills and eventually her speech.

“She had other complications including hypothyroid, epilepsy, right-sided weakness and scoliosis, as well as needing daily nebulisers, physio, medication and a feeding regimen.

“Most of our Christmases, however, were overshadowed by the worry that Charlotte would be poorly, as she often got chest infections in the winter.

“For years, I had my case and Charlotte’s packed and ready. I would wrap all the presents and leave notes in case I wasn’t there. It never actually happened, although we did spend a couple of New Year’s Eves and Charlotte’s birthdays (15 January) in hospital.

“Christmas was always planned and revolved around Charlotte. David and the family would get up early on Christmas morning to feed the pigs, check on the sheep and lambs and collect eggs – we supply a high-end supermarket – while I stayed in to get Charlotte up and dressed. We had nurses to help every other day, but it didn’t seem fair to ask them to come on Christmas Day.”

'Dreading Christmas'

Julie said the farming family are dreading Christmas this year, and are now taking a day at a time.

“Before sitting down to Christmas dinner (which for most of her life Charlotte was unable to eat as she had to be tube-fed), we would all settle in front of the fire to exchange presents. Her face would light up with excitement at a shiny new bracelet, a lip-gloss or some beautiful pink nail varnish,” she said.

“We are dreading Christmas this year and are just taking a day at a time. It doesn’t feel right to be celebrating, but I suppose we will have to.

“Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

“That is why this Christmas the greatest gift we could receive, as a legacy to Charlotte, would be to raise £5,000 for desperately needed research to find a cure and bring hope to families who are given the news that a loved one has been diagnosed with a brain tumour,” Julie said.

More research

20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years, compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at Research Centres of Excellence in the UK; it also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

The charity is calling for an annual spend of £35m in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.

To make a donation to Charlotte’s appeal please visit the Brain Tumour Research charity.