Jackie was diagnosed with a cancer known as Grade 4 GBM (glioblastoma multiforme) in April 2016. It was discovered after she suffered a seizure while doing housework on Easter Monday. The 62-year-old mother and foster carer underwent surgery, radiotherapy and several bouts of chemotherapy. However, the tumour proved to be too aggressive, with a scan showing it had continued growing.  Her husband, Tony Marsh says their whole life changed from that day onwards.

“They told us that Jackie was likely to survive anywhere from 14 months to just three months,” he explains.

“We did a lot of Googling to find out what’s happening and realised that brain cancer is lagging behind other cancers in research. It doesn’t seem right that there’s not enough awareness out there to combat this disease.” “I believe Jackie is the first person to donate her entire brain to the Hunter Brain Cancer Biobank so hopefully they can pick up something with her tumour that can help them develop a treatment for future generations.”

Professor Stephen Ackland, head of the Hunter Cancer Research Alliance which manages the Biobank, says brain donations are rare but exceptionally valuable to researchers investigating disease progression and the efficacy of treatments.  “Why do brain tumours develop resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, how do they grow throughout the brain? These are the sort of questions that we can work out through research if we have brain tissue after treatment.” Upon her passing, Jackie’s brain will be preserved long-term in the Biobank for future cancer research. Tony says it is typical of his wife’s character to be concerned for others and prepared to help, even during the terminal stages of her illness.  Jackie replies modestly: “It just seems like the logical thing to do. I’d like to be able to help other people because it can’t help me at this stage.”