Peter Kay makes rare sighting as he attends comedians Danny Baker and Bob Harris' tour

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    Peter Kay’s two special live shows next month have been organised to help fund a student’s £80,000 pioneering brain cancer treatment.

    The tickets for his Q&A events will go on sale this Friday with all funds raised in aid of ‘Doing It For Laura’ to help terminally ill Laura Nuttall, 21.

    Ms Nuttall, from Barrowford, in Lancashire, is battling Glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive brain tumour, and has already had immunotherapy treatment.

    But her cancer has returned and after surgery in March she needs more treatment in Cologne, Germany.

    ‘Doing It For Laura’ has so far raised over £14,000 to help her fund a lifesaving ‘innovative new immunotherapy treatment’ in Germany.

    Laura Nuttall (right) with her parents Nicola and Mark (centre) and sister Gracie (left)

    Laura Nuttall (right) with her parents Nicola and Mark (centre) and sister Gracie (left)

    Ms Nuttall received the diagnosis three years ago after complaining to her GP of sickness and headaches and an eye examination detected swelling in her optic nerve.

    Her mother Nicola Nuttall said: ‘Laura was diagnosed with brain cancer in Autumn 2018 when she was just 18. She was given a prognosis of roughly 12 months and told to go away and make memories.

    ‘She bravely endured a craniotomy to remove the largest tumour and then started a gruelling program of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

    ‘But then we found an innovative new immunotherapy treatment available only in Germany.’

    Everton fan Ms Nuttall met the team and is pictured with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford

    Everton fan Ms Nuttall met the team and is pictured with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford

    Mrs Nuttall added: ‘With the help of our friends, community and the wonderful people who donated through GoFundMe, we were able to take Laura out to Cologne on a regular basis.

    ‘To our delight, her immune system responded to the treatment.

    ‘Laura remained well, well enough to go back to university in Manchester and start a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

    ‘Fast forward 2.5 years and although still really healthy and free of symptoms, a routine MRI scan revealed regrowth on the site of the original tumour.

    Ms Nuttall (left) has got to meet a series of stars, including actress Gillian Anderson

    Ms Nuttall (left) has got to meet a series of stars, including actress Gillian Anderson 

    ‘Laura had a second surgery at the end of March and now the plan is for two further dendritic cell vaccinations and a course of a checkpoint inhibitor called Pembrolizumab.

    ‘None of this is available on the NHS of course so we are faced with the enormous challenge of raising a further £80,000.’

    After Ms Nuttall was diagnosed she created a ‘bucket list’ of activities she wanted to complete and so far she has piloted HMS Charger, driven a supercar around Silverstone and visited the Churchill War Rooms.

    She went to LGV driving school Ben Shaw Training in Burnley with her parents to drive a DAF truck and a bus around the practice yard.

    Ms Nuttall underwent radiotherapy after surgery, along with chemotherapy

    Ms Nuttall underwent radiotherapy after surgery, along with chemotherapy 

    Other items on her bucket list include viewing The Scream painted by artist Edvard Munch, crossing the equator and visiting the Heinz Factory in Wigan.

    And more recently she ticked another item off her bucket list when she got to drive a pink digger.

    That experience was provided by Cumbria based company Waitings whose own director, Victoria Waiting, died in 2016 aged 44, with the same tumour Ms Nuttall is fighting.

    Earlier this month Ms Nuttall also got to visit Wembley and see England’s defeat against Italy in the Euro 2020 final after being given free tickets.

    Ms Nutall meets the BBC's Fiona Bruce - another of the stars she has met in recent years

    Ms Nutall meets the BBC’s Fiona Bruce – another of the stars she has met in recent years

    She has just completed the second year of her degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Manchester University.

    Ms Nuttall has also been invited to model for a fashion show at Manchester Airport later this year, staged by cancer support group Maggie’s Centres.

    She is also looking forward later this year to having afternoon tea at HMP Styal jail.

    She will be served at the Clink restaurant by prisoners in training who are working towards gaining their City Guilds NVQs in food and beverage service, professional cookery and food hygiene.

    Gina Almond, The Brain Tumour Charity’s director of fundraising and marketing, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted for Laura that Peter Kay has shown such kindness in putting on these shows to help fund her glioblastoma treatment abroad.

    ‘Laura is one of our inspirational Young Ambassadors who help us to raise awareness about brain tumours so we can improve early diagnosis and find new treatments faster – and we are hugely grateful for the family’s ongoing support for us despite everything they are going through.

    ‘Brain tumours remain the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 in the UK. Glioblastomas in particular are the most common and most aggressive form of brain tumour in adults, accounting for around 2,200 cases in England each year. 

    ‘With treatment options remaining limited, and average survival being around 12-18 months from diagnosis, we urgently need to find new treatments to help give those affected by a glioblastoma more time to live. A cure can’t wait.’

    Read more about Laura Nuttall’s story on the Doing It For Laura website, or visit her GoFundMe page to donate towards her £80,000 goal

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