A CHARITY set up following the death of a seven-year-old Stanmore girl has raised enough money to expand the country's first dedicated lab-based brain tumour research centre.

Julie Phelan, of Hermitage Way, created Ali's Dream together with family and friends following the loss of her daughter Alison in June 2001.

Since then, the organisation and a second, similar charity called Charlie's Challenge have raised £400,000 to fund four extra research posts at the University of Portsmouth, in Hampshire, guaranteeing the centre's immediate future after it was founded just two years ago.

Both good causes are part of the Brain Tumour Research umbrella group, that committed a further £100,000.

Mrs Phelan said: "The past nine years have been a dreadful, painful journey. When Ali was taken from us we were determined to help prevent our pain from happening to other families.

"We were driven to make a difference, so we set up Ali's Dream and were overwhelmed by the support and encouragement of those around us and who have joined us along the way.

"Sadly our Ali's dream of living did not come true. As a family, our determination is to see our Alison's dream realised through the cure of other children who are suffering as she did from this dreadful illness.

"We need brain tumours to be taken seriously and to have the same voice as the bigger cancer-related charities.

"Joining together with fellow brain tumour charities to establish a brain tumour research Centre of Excellence at the University of Portsmouth is a great way forward."

Geoff Pilkington, professor of neuro-oncology at the University of Portsmouth, said: "I strongly believe the work my colleagues and I are doing in the test tube will eventually result in benefits for patients.

"I am delighted that Ali's Dream, Charlie's Challenge and Brain Tumour Research are providing us with the seed funding we so desperately need to secure the critical biological knowledge which will underpin the development of successful innovative therapeutic approaches for all forms of brain tumours, and affecting any age group."