Isabella’s gift: The precious donation aiding vital research into childhood brain cancer

The parents of Isabella Ortiz, who died from brain cancer, have highlighted the need for rare tissue donation, to help other children facing the same condition. At the age of 3, Isabella was diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) - a rare childhood brain tumour. There is currently no proven cure for DIPG, and most children diagnosed with the disease die within a year. In order to support vital research, Isabella’s parents have donated samples of their daughter’s brain tissue to the Institute of Cancer Research, which they describe as ‘her final gift to the world’.