THE sister of a Worcester lawyer who died of brain cancer and a dad from Malvern who is currently living with the condition have both welcomed the opening of a new centre researching cures for the disease.

Ashley Shameli of St John’s died in March 2012 aged 30, eight years after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Now his sister Shardi has welcomed the opening of a new Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence in London.

She was on hand at the opening of the centre next to Hammersmith Hospital on Thursday, September 24 where she said she hoped it would mean others would not have to go through the devastating ordeal she and her family had faced.

“I would do anything to bring Ashley back, but I can’t,” she said. “What I can do, however, is my utmost to ensure that no other brain tumour victims, or their families, suffer in this way.

“I am determined to do all I can to raise awareness of this dreadful disease.

“Brain tumours kill more children and adults, who, like my brother, are under 40, than any other cancer yet receive just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research.”

Since Mr Shameli’s death his family have raised nearly £6,000 for the Astro Brain Tumour Fund. Donations can be made in Mr Shameli’s memory at justgiving.com/remember/9690/Ashley-Shameli.

Ben Lindon, who was first diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in March 2008 and has since undergone 73 cycles of chemotherapy, was also on hand at the opening.

The 35-year-old former journalist of West Malvern Road, Malvern, was told the treatment would make him infertile but has miraculously since fathered two children – Martha Rose who was born in 2012 and Sidney George who arrived in 2014 – and said he was pleased to see more work and money was being put into finding a cure for the condition.

“I am currently back in hospital after suffering quite a lot of left-sided weakness and several seizures,” he said.

“I am cracking on with lots of new meds and loads of what feels like slow-going physio, but I am getting there day by day.

“When I was first diagnosed, my girlfriend at the time, Kate – who I married two years ago on an organic farm – and I were staggered to learn that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet receive so little funding.

“How can it be right that just one per cent of national spend on cancer is allocated to this devastating disease?”

Since his diagnosis Mr Lindon, who is currently being treated at Evesham Community Hospital, has raised more than £5,000 for charity by taking part in events including the London and Brighton Marathons.

The new centre will receive £1.3 million from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (London) and Brain Tumour Research over the next three years.

To donate £5 to Brain Tumour Research text RSCH01 £5 to 70070 or for more information visit braintumourresearch.org.