A CHESTER teenager has spoken to Government ministers in London about her experience battling a brain tumour.

Christleton High School student Hannah Jones spoke at an all-party parliamentary reception at the House of Commons to launch a manifesto for everyone affected by a brain tumour.

The 17-year old told how she was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago and all she has gone through since.

She spoke of how she has lost two of her friends to the disease in the past two months and how saddened she is by the poor outcome for patients in comparison with other cancers.

Hannah, who has raised almost £80,000 for the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust (SDBTT), made the trip to London with dad Steve, mum Dianne and sister Molly.

Steve, a lay reader for the SDBTT, also spoke at the meeting.

He said: “I spoke about the effect that this devastating illness has on families and how shocking it is that more is not being done to forward our understanding of causes and treatment.”

SDBTT, Brain Tumour UK and Brain Tumour Research, along with the International Brain Tumour Alliance, hope to persuade the new Government to work in partnership with them to improve outcomes in diagnosis, patient care and research.

Steve added: “The manifesto is a step in the right direction and an opportunity to put pressure on ministers to look at why brain tumour research is so poorly funded in comparison to other cancers”

“I am proud to have spoken at the event, but could not compete with the power of my daughter speaking before me.

“I am so very proud of her. I just hope that more will now be done to fight this awful illness.”

Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP, accepting the manifesto on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group, commented: “With around 16,000 people in the UK affected by a brain tumour each year, and the number of secondary cancers in the brain thought to be increasing, much more needs to be done to diagnose and treat these diseases more effectively. This manifesto is much more than a plea for funds. It brings together intelligence from across the field and sets out a range of measurable solutions which have the power to transform the lives of those affected by a brain tumour.”