ANET Lee and Molly Mayes have been brought together under terrible circumstances.

But after the tragedy of losing both their husbands, they've both gained something valuable – the friendship and understanding of each other and the other members of their support group.

Janet and Molly are both part of the Leeds-based Getting There group, which has just received a special award from locally-based charity Andrea's Gift.

Everyone in the group has lost a loved one to a brain tumour.

Every type of cancer has its own terrible effects, but those of brain tumours are particularly unforgiving. As well as the lack of research funding and low cure rate, patients and their families also have to cope with the side effects of such a disease. Brain surgery can often have very significant side effects and the disease can alter patients' personalities, making it all the more difficult for them and their families to cope.

Janet and Molly didn't have that to contend with when they were nursing their husbands Howard and Malcolm.

They did have very different experiences though – Howard Lee was diagnosed in July 2006 and died two months later in September, aged 58.

"Traumatic," is how his wife Janet, from Swillington, Leeds, simply describes it.

Malcolm Mayes had been diagnosed with a tumour four-and-a-half years before he died in 2006 at the age of 65. He lived longer than his doctors expected.

It would have been impossible for a time, but now Molly, from Rawdon, can look back and smile. Whenever friends used to ring and ask how he was, she said, his answer was "well, I'm still here."

The Getting There group developed out of another support group help for patients and their carers.

Carol Robertson, spokeswoman for Andrea's Gift, said: "Suddenly there was a group of friends who did not have anyone to care for because that person had died.

"But they had built some really great friendships and there was a huge amount of knowledge within that group."

She said it was that special knowledge that helped those who had been bereaved.

"Your friends and family will be very supportive but unless they have gone through something like that, they can have no comprehension of what you're going through."

Honoured

"People can think they have got Alzheimer's or dementia," Molly added.

"They treat them as if they've got that and they haven't. I had to say, 'Sorry, he has got a brain tumour, he can hear you but he can't answer straight away'."

It's these things that other members of the group can understand.

Janet added: "This group of us is great because if one of us is down we can phone somebody and they are usually ok."

They meet regularly for various social events, fundraise for Andrea's Gift and now the seven group members have been honoured by a special award at the Andrea's Gift annual tea party.

Janet and Molly said they were surprised at the recognition.

"I don't think we see it as doing anything special," Molly said.

But Carol from Andrea's Gift said the charity did.

"The most inspirational thing about this group of people is their capacity to care for others," she said.

"They offer help and support to other carers who are experiencing the devastation that often is a brain tumour diagnosis."

For many touched by the illness, fundraising for Andrea's Gift gives them a focus, something positive to concentrate on.

Also honoured at the charity's annual tea party were two fundraisers who have gone that extra mile to collect cash.

Paula Butler, from Ireland Wood, was named Fundraiser of the Year for helping raise more than £9,000.

She, along with her dad Paul and his friend Paul Rennard, collected the money in memory of Terry Hemingway from Garforth who died from a brain tumour aged 48.

Originally the two men, both friends of Terry's, organised a memorial golf day.

Then Paula, 25, got involved and events have included a summer ball and Christmas present-wrapping at the White Rose Centre.

"We did it for Terry and in Terry's memory," she said.

"I just think it's such a worthwhile cause. Nobody has stood up for people affected by this in the past and something needed to be done about it."

Paula said she was stunned to receive the award.

"I couldn't believe it when she gave it to me, I was really shocked.

"But I didn't do it for any reward – if I do something I just put 100 per cent into it."

Another champion fundraiser was Tracy Wilkinson, who was given a Significant Achievement Award.

Tracey, from Silsden near Keighley, has collected nearly £11,000 since her son Daniel was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2005 aged 10.

Following gruelling treatment, Daniel is now well and only undergoes yearly scans.

"First all we wanted to do was raise £11,000 when Daniel first became ill," Tracey said.

"Then we said we would raise a bit more, then £5,000 and it's gone on from there."

Tracey and her family have collected the cash through events like coffee mornings – proof that every single penny can make a difference.

It's people like her who are so valuable to Andrea's Gift.

Alternative

When the charity was set up in memory of Bradford woman Andrea Key, who died from a brain tumour in 2002, it was intended as a local alternative to the few other charities focusing on the illness.

Since its registration in 2003 it has grown and grown, so much so that co-founder Carol Robertson now works for the charity full time.

The efforts of all the fundraisers has meant that one of Andrea's Gift's ultimate aims is about to come to fruition.

The charity wants to open a dedicated brain tumour research centre in Leeds to try to combat a lack of funding in this area.

Carol said brain tumours now killed more children than any other cancer but the few research projects looking into the disease means the prognosis for patients affected by the most aggressive tumour types is no better now than it was 40 years ago.

"We are currently advertising for a research scientist who will lead res-earch in this critical area," she said.

"We are proud to be co-funding this project with Leeds-based children's cancer charity Candlelighters to ensure dedicated research begins and will continue for years to come.

"The centre will be the only one in Yorkshire and one of a handful in the UK. We owe it to the wonderful patients who are affected by this disease to do our very best to provide information and support and most of all, to try to find a cure or effective treatment for this disease."

katie.baldwin@ypn.co.uk