We are delighted to announce a new partnership with the family-led charity Eva’s Angels!
Eva’s Angels is a charity set up by the parents of Eva Giles who sadly passed away when she was just five years old after she was diagnosed with a Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) – a brain tumour formerly known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).
The charity raises money for research into DMG and provides short breaks in their caravan on the Kent coast for families who are affected by childhood cancer.
Now, Eva’s Angels are officially joining forces with The Brain Tumour Charity and have pledged an incredible £10,000 to help fund research into paediatric high grade brain tumours.
Eva’s Story
Eva’s mum has written about Eva’s story and why they’re supporting The Brain Tumour Charity.
“In 2017, our beautiful five-year-old daughter, Eva, was taken from us by DIPG. She had a bright future ahead of her until this devastating diagnosis came out of the blue.
We were told we would be ‘lucky’ to get months with her. There was no cure. We were going to lose our beautiful five-year-old daughter, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
Emma and Dean Giles, Eva’s parents
“Eva Giles, the middle of our three children, was a happy and healthy little girl who loved dancing, swimming, school, and spending time with her older brother, Euan, and younger sister, Rosie. A few months before her diagnosis, we noticed subtle changes: she became clingy and clumsy, and she started laughing in her sleep, which we found strange but attributed to dreaming. The most alarming symptom was a slight droop in her mouth, noticeable only when she laughed or cried. Despite multiple visits to the GP and A&E, we were repeatedly told it was impacted ear wax.
“In April 2016, an emergency MRI revealed the heart-breaking truth: Eva had a brain tumour, and not just any tumour, but DIPG. We were thrust into a world we could scarcely imagine. As a patient on the paediatric cancer ward at Royal Marsden, Sutton, the following months became a whirlwind of hospital appointments and radiotherapy planning. We had to watch our small, scared little girl endure the daily ordeal of having her head bolted to a table for two weeks while radiotherapy waves penetrated her head, all in the hope of buying us more time. But it was only time – we were told we would be ‘lucky’ to get months with her. There was no cure. We were going to lose our beautiful five-year-old daughter, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
“This is why we are committed to funding vital research until we physically can’t fundraise anymore.”
Emma and Dean, Eva’s parents, beautifully shared their story of grief for National Bereaved Parents Day in 2024. To read their words, visit this blog post.
To learn more about Eva’s Angels and the work they do, visit https://evasangels.org/
What types of paediatric research do we fund?
At The Brain Tumour Charity, we fund a wide range of research into paediatric high grade brain tumours – from uncovering new knowledge to investigating pioneering treatments.
We are honoured to have many partnerships with family-led charities. This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we remember the young people who have had charities set up in their memories, just like Eva. Read more about our family-led partnerships here.
You can read more about our paediatric research here.