Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Today I met with Philippa Ryan, who told me the story of her husband, John. John was an award-winning builder working across residential and commercial construction and a local in our community. Only recently retired, John love golf and, more than anything, he loved his family. John was a husband, a father of three and a grandfather to seven. Last year, John passed away from glioblastoma, after being diagnosed only four months earlier.

John's story was devastating to hear, and I thank Philippa for taking the time to share and acknowledge him today. Brain tumours don't discriminate; they can impact anyone at any age. In my own family, my grandmother Ruth died of a brain tumour at 49. The survival rates is confronting—just 22 per cent, and for glioblastoma it's only five per cent.

Each year 1,528 Australians die from brain cancer and another 1,896 are diagnosed. This should concern each and every one of us. If we're serious about changing outcomes, we need to do more to support patients, families and research. In Berowra we have dozens of families who have lived through or are currently going through the devastation of brain tumour diagnosis. That's why the Brain Tumour Alliance and its wonderful event Head to the Hill are so important today.

I want to acknowledge others in my community—in particular, Ben Murray, Christine Whittall and Danielle Ballantine—who, along with Philippa, shared stories with me and helped me bring awareness of this important issue to the parliament today. Your message is being heard, and I'll continue to advocate on your behalf and on behalf of other families across the Berowra community.

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