About the Mission

The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission is a non-profit dedicated to improving treatment, care and research for brain cancer

The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission is named in memory of Dame Tessa Jowell, the widely-respected cabinet minister in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments. In 2018, following her diagnosis with brain cancer, she made a moving call in the House of Lords for improvements in treatment, care and research for people with a brain tumour.

The Government’s response was to create the Mission. It began by bringing together experts in all aspects of brain cancer to develop a new national strategy. In 2020 it launched the Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence (CoE) programme—a data-driven framework for recognising and sharing best practice in neuro-oncology across the UK. Today, there are 14 adult Centres of Excellence, 10 paediatric Centres of Excellence, and 22 services progressing toward these designations.

Through its Paediatric and Adult CoEs, the Mission now collects the UK’s largest dataset on brain tumour treatment, care and research. These insights drive systems change at a local and national level—including new posts, reorganised services and new models of care—reducing variation and improving patient access to high-quality care. Using CoE data, the Mission has delivered three national challenge projects on genomic testing equity, rehabilitation, and pressures on single-handed neuro-oncologists. Each produced community-endorsed recommendations, many now adopted by the NIHR, the NHS or integrated into trial proposals.

Building on the extensive data and insights produced by the Centres of Excellence programme, and the many connections formed and strengthened between neuro-oncology experts, the Tessa Jowell Academy was formed. Its 1,500+ member Academy supports national and specialty-specific improvement projects informed by CoE evidence and community-identified needs. This work has accelerated best-practice adoption, produced new specialty guidelines, created training courses, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration and deepened charity partnerships.

To build the next generation of leaders in neuro-oncology, the Mission has hosted five neuro-oncology fellows, providing training with UK leaders and hands-on exposure to cutting-edge clinical trials and research, alongside opportunities for independent projects. Three have already secured permanent consultant roles.

Through the Brain Tumour Research Novel Therapeutics Accelerator, the Mission has supported 43 promising new therapies, with 19 receiving over 240 hours of expert guidance. All applicants reported gaining new insights and making meaningful adjustments to their development plans, helping bring promising treatments to clinical trials sooner.

TJBCM is now a non-profit community interest company, funded by strategic partners including leading cancer charities. The UK Government continues to support us, through the National Institute for Health Research, and NHS England and Scotland’s Chief Scientist Office are strategic partners.

From left: Dr Nicky Huskens (TJBCM CEO & Company Director), Professor Richard Gilberton (TJBCM Chair), Professor Katie Bushby (TJBCM Vice Chair), Camille Goetz (TJBCM COO & Company Director) and Jess Mills (TJBCM Co-Founder and Special Advisor)