An Airdrie woman who lost her four-year-old son to a brain tumour hopes a newly formed Holyrood group will lead to more investment in finding a cure and improving treatments.

Nadia Majid lost her son, Rayhan, in April 2018, just four months after he was diagnosed with an aggressive grade 3 medulloblastoma.

She addressed MSPs at the first meeting of the new Cross Party Group on Brain Tumours on Tuesday, October 8, in the Scottish Parliament.

Ms Majid said: "I am delighted at the progress that has been made in Scotland in the last few years.

"It is encouraging to see that finally there is a forum in place that will be tackling some of the issues that the brain tumour community have faced and continue to face.

Beatrice Wishart (second from right) with daughters Louise Fraser (middle) and Clare Inkster (far right)  (Image: Brain Tumour Research) "I am honoured to be able to speak at this forum.

“I am hopeful the Cross Party Group will start to implement some of the changes that we have been campaigning for.

“I would like to see increased urgency into investment and the creation of research programs so that new, more effective treatments can be developed but also kinder, less toxic ones.

“This is especially relevant for children who are left with lifelong disabilities after treatment.”

More than 1,000 people in Scotland are diagnosed with a brain tumour every year, and around 400 people die from high-grade brain tumours annually.

Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland and convener of the Cross Party Group, said: “It was only after one of my daughters was diagnosed with a brain tumour that I became aware of how many people are affected by such a diagnosis each year and that so little of the overall national cancer spending is on brain tumours, despite it being the biggest childhood cancer killer. 

"My goal for the Cross Party Group on Brain Tumours is that it will influence more research and drug trials in Scotland, with the aim of improving early diagnosis, treatments, and survival."

Thomas Brayford, policy and public affairs manager at Brain Tumour Research and secretariat of the group, said: “The Cross-Part Group will ensure brain tumours remain at the top of the political agenda at Holyrood.”

Brain Tumour Research is calling for a national annual spend of £35 million to improve survival rates and patient outcomes.