Bereaved parents recognised in New Year Honours for ‘tireless’ charity work

A bereaved couple have been recognised in the New Year Honours for their work setting up the world’s largest brain tumour charity following the death of their teenage daughter.

Neil and Angela Dickson have been made OBEs for their work helping people with brain tumours.

Their daughter Samantha was just 16 when she died from a brain tumour in 1996.

She was studying at St Nicholas’ school in Fleet, Hampshire, when medics found she had a high-grade glioma.

Samantha would have been so proud that her legacy has benefited others

Samantha, described as a “bright, lively, happy, fun-loving girl”, died just seven days before her 17th birthday.

Mr and Mrs Dickson said they were surprised to find at the time that there was no dedicated brain tumour charity, so they established The Samantha Dickson Research Trust.

This eventually merged with other brain charities to become The Brain Tumour Charity, which is based in Fleet, Hampshire.

It is the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours in the world and provides support for people affected by brain tumours and their families.

Mr Dickson said: “Angela and I are delighted to receive OBEs in the New Year honours.

“We have worked tirelessly over the last 26 years to increase research and provide support services for patients and families diagnosed with this devastating disease.

“We still have a mountain to climb but major progress has been made since the dark days of 1996. Samantha would have been so proud that her legacy has benefited others.

“Angela and I are immensely proud that her legacy has generated more than £100 million since the charity started.

“This had made The Brain Tumour Charity one of the largest funders of high-quality brain tumour research in the world. This research had led to a number of scientific breakthroughs, some leading to new clinical treatments.

“More children and adults under 40 still die from a brain tumour than any other cancer, that is why our continued fundraising is so important.”

The couple have also set up a specific fundraising stream for The Brain Tumour Charity – The Samantha Dickson Fund – and continue to raise money, specifically for research into high grade gliomas.

They have raised more than £230,000 specifically through the fund.

Dr Michele Afif, chief executive of The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “Driven by the unimaginable impact of a brain tumour diagnosis on their bright, lively, happy, fun-loving daughter Samantha, Neil and Angela Dickson have worked ceaselessly to prevent the same tragedy affecting others.

“In so doing, they have become experts in research, fundraising and collaboration across the sector to transform The Brain Tumour Charity into the largest dedicated charitable funder of research into brain tumours globally.

“Funding research to find a cure remains at the very heart of Neil and Angela’s voluntary work.

“Their contribution, their determination to bring hope to everyone affected through fundamentally changing the brain tumour landscape is testament to their courage and selfless compassion, and the reason they continue to be an inspiration to us all.”

– For more information, visit: www.thebraintumourcharity.org/get-involved/our-supporter-groups/supporter-groups/groups/the-samantha-dickson-fund/