Tumour woman to raise £400,000 for brain unit

An inspirational west London woman who survived a brain tumour has set out to raise £400,000 for the hospital that saved her life.

Penny Boylan, 29, from Parsons Green, had three operations after she was diagnosed in March 2007 with a large cyst in her brain. This was followed by six weeks of radiotherapy.

Given a slim chance of survival, she lost all movement on the left side of her body and developed epilepsy but the aggressive treatment from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square, central London, saved her life.

Four years on she has run four half marathons and raised more than £140,000 for the new brain tumour unit at the hospital, which is the only one of its kind in Britain.

The Mayfair-based jewellery researcher has now set herself another target, to raise another £200,000 by next summer with a dinner to be held at the Hansom Hall of St Pancras Hotel on May 24.

Mrs Boylan, whose wedding guests made donations to the hospital rather than give her gifts, said: "I will always owe a debt to the amazing people who treated me.

"The hospital is a national treasure. I'm very much in awe of it."