Jemima Gazley spent the last 10 days of her life fundraising for a cure for DIPG. Photo / Supplied
Jemima Gazley spent the last 10 days of her life fundraising for a cure for DIPG. Photo / Supplied
A brave Wellington teenager's decision to go public with her inoperable cancer diagnosis has broken through the ceiling and helped raise awareness about brain tumours.
International Brain Tumour Awareness Week starts today and Jemima Gazley has been praised for the light she shined on the issue in the days beforeshe died.
During this time Jemima selflessly raised funds for a cure for DIPG – her particularly deadly form of childhood brain tumour – to be donated to the work of Australian researcher Dr Matt Dun.
Dun lost his own daughter to DIPG in 2018 and is working for better treatment options and a cure.
At Jemima's request, the sum of $696,420 was delivered to Dun earlier this week in the form of a large cheque.
Jemima Gazley died peacefully earlier this month. Photo / Supplied
Jemima was farewelled two weeks ago, adorned in a flower crown and wearing a wedding dress she and her mum had dyed pink.
Brain Tumour Support NZ chairman Chris Tse said there was a stigma of sorts with brain cancer because it attacked the very essence of a person- their cognitive function and behaviour.
He said patients often kept knowledge of their diagnosis to close family and friends.
"So it's very rare for someone like Jemima to put herself out there in the mainstream media. She broke through the awareness ceiling and that will be one of her legacies as time goes on."
Tse said without awareness, it was difficult to motivate change, and without research, it was impossible to "move the needle" on treatments and survival statistics.
Over the following week, brain tumour patients, their families, and advocates will hold events to raise awareness and fundraise for local brain tumour charities.
Jemima Gazley. Photo / Supplied
Jemima's dad Oliver Gazley said his family was still grieving and they didn't have any specific plans for the week.
But he said after continuing support and interest they were in the process of establishing a charitable trust to support Dun's research work.
"Something to have in place to continue to do events and raise money and awareness and to hopefully find a cure", Gazley said.
When Jemima was first diagnosed, Gazley said he instantly thought of chemotherapy and surgery to help her beat it.
But that changed when the family were given the news it was DIPG.
"We were told just to go home and make memories", Gazley said.
"While that may be the truth, to not be given any form of hope that there might be something to prolong her life at least was probably the hardest thing for us to hear from a medical practitioner.
