I am leaving work after a 41-year career in education.

Little did I know when I started what the future held in store. This included my own breast cancer story, acquiring disabilities in my fifties and my son Huw's brain tumour diagnosis when he was just 31.

I have worked at the University of Manchester for nearly 30 years, and was fortunate to meet the incredible student Laura Nuttall, who sadly died from her glioblastoma not long after graduating from the university. Her graduation was a special day.

In memory of Laura and in support of my wonderful son and everyone else who is in the club no one wants to be part of, I am asking for a small contribution to fund brain tumour research.

The biggest leaving gift I could ask for as I leave the university is for a donation to fund the incredible and critically important research of the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre here at the University of Manchester. It costs £2700 to run a brain tumour research centre for just one day - so I have ambitiously set the goal at this figure.

Whether you contribute a little or a lot I want to thank you on behalf of Huw, Laura and everyone touched by this disease.

With love - Jackie