Bradford charity Andrea’s Gift has joined forces with fellow Yorkshire charity Candlelighters to fund a new research team dedicated to the study of adult and childhood brain tumours.

Andrea’s Gift was set up in 2002 in memory of Bradford mum Andrea Key, who died from a brain tumour aged 42.

The charity is based at Emerald Publishing, in Wagon Lane, Bingley, where the charity’s development manager, Carol Robertson, of Guiseley, met Andrea.

Since the charity was set up it has raised more than £900,000 for research and patient support.

Candlelighters was set up by parents of children treated at the Yorkshire paediatric oncology and haematology unit at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds and is dedicated to combating childhood cancer.

The charities are jointly donating £750,000 to enable the new research team to be established this summer, to be based at the Leeds Institute for Molecular Medicine (LIMM).

“We are delighted that these two local charities have combined their efforts and resources to fund this new team, especially as research in this field has been underfunded and neglected for years,” said Alan Melcher, head of laboratory-based research within the section of oncology and clinical research within LIMM, whose section will house the new research centre.

“Children and adults who are diagnosed with a tumour of the brain or central nervous system often don’t fare as well as patients affected by other cancers or tumours.

“This can be directly attributed to a lack of knowledge and research in the area.”

The charities’ funding will pay for a specialist team leader and technician, while LIMM will give its support to the research and provide another technician to complete the laboratory team.

“I’m particularly excited that the focus will be on translational research which means it could make a real difference to patients relatively quickly.

“The initial grant will run for up to five years but we hope that the research the team carries out will enable them to seek additional funding in the future from charities and foundations.”

For more information about Andrea’s Gift, visit andreagift.org.uk