By Jill Stocks
Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity provides a lifeline to those affected by a brain tumour diagnosis and their relatives and friends, through support, research and fundraising, as well as through local peer support groups.
And one of those groups provides care and advice to many people living in Horsforth and the surrounding area.
Facilitated by Debbie and Mark Organ the group is one of the largest in Yorkshire, having outgrown its previous meeting place in Farsley and moving to Horsforth Golf Club almost eight months ago.
Now as many as 30 regularly attend the group which provides people with an invaluable opportunity to chat and get advice and support from other members with experience of the impact of a brain tumour diagnosis.
Debbie Organ told WLD about her experience and about the Horsforth group.
“I got diagnosed with a brain tumour five years ago,” she said. “I wasn’t getting paid from work and I was struggling financially. My clinical nurse recommended the charity because they were doing grants at the time.
“So I hooked up with the charity. They said ‘we do wellbeing walks, we do the grants, we do support groups etc etc’. So I went along to a support group in Wakefield. Honestly, I’m a different person because of it.
“It gives you a different outlook on life and you meet people going through similar experiences because you lose a lot of friends from outside because I’m not the same person I was before the brain tumour.
“So we went along to that, we started doing wellbeing groups, but I got a little bit stronger and I went back to work full time. So I couldn’t attend because it was during the week. So I was looking for someone to deliver a Saturday group.
“I said to [my husband] Mark ‘what do you think?’ He said ‘let’s give it a go.’ So we volunteered our time on a Saturday and we started doing a group at The Loft Coffee Shop in Farsley, but we actually outgrew the venue.
“So one of the trustees Chris said to come along to the golf club because they’re our chosen charity. So we’ve brought the group here. A lot of the individuals have got brain tumours, some are partners. And we’ve got about thirty people that come.
“People just come along, talk about whatever they’ve got going on in their lives, the other halves talk about sport and offload. We share our journeys. When we’re waiting for scan results it’s quite an emotional time for people so we’ve just got the support of each other so that’s what it’s about.
“Obviously it’s lovely scenery for everyone to look at, it’s a nice bright room. We can all have individual conversations but still be together as a group.
“It’s good for myself and for my husband because we can offload our feelings but we’re there to be able to support others as well.”
The success of the group and the success of the charity as a whole is reflected by their recent nomination in the Charitable Excellence category of the Yorkshire Choice Awards, with the winners celebrated at an awards gala dinner in June.
David Grant-Roberts, CEO of YBTC, expressed his pride in the charity being nominated.
“Brain tumours can turn lives upside down in an instant. Too many people are left feeling isolated once they leave the clinic. This nomination helps shine a light on the reality of living with a brain tumour and the vital role community-led peer support plays in helping people feel understood, supported and less alone.”
The winners of the Yorkshire Choice awards are decided by public vote and David says every vote counts.
“This takes less than a minute — but it means a lot. A single vote helps more people find support, recognises the incredible contribution of our volunteers, and helps ensure no one in Yorkshire faces a brain tumour diagnosis alone.”
CEO David was also keen to stress how important the group in Horsforth had become in the local community.
“The Horsforth Support Group continues to demonstrate the meaningful impact of YBTC’s volunteer-led peer support model. Meeting monthly at Horsforth Golf Club, the group provides a consistent, welcoming space for people affected by brain tumours to connect with others who share similar experiences and challenges.
“Attendance and engagement at the group have steadily grown, reflecting both local demand and the value participants place on accessible, community-based support. “The group brings together individuals at different stages of their brain tumour journey – patients, carers and family members – creating a space where people feel understood without needing to explain or justify their experiences.
“Feedback from attendees highlights the importance of this shared understanding. One participant recently described the group as transformative, saying: ‘I’ve absolutely loved coming to this group. Chatting to people who ‘just get it’ has already made a big difference to how I’m feeling, and I already feel less alone.’ This sense of reduced isolation and increased emotional resilience is a recurring theme in feedback across YBTC’s peer support offer.
“The success of the Horsforth group is underpinned by the commitment and compassion of its volunteer facilitators Debbie and Mark, whose lived experience helps to create an atmosphere of trust, warmth and openness. Volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring sessions are inclusive, well-structured and responsive to the needs of those attending, while remaining informal and peer-led.
“This group exemplifies YBTC’s impact at a local level: delivering low-cost, high-value support that improves wellbeing, strengthens social connections and complements statutory services.
“As the charity continues to expand its network of peer support groups across Yorkshire, Horsforth provides a strong model of how volunteer-led provision can deliver tangible, person-centred impact within local communities.”
You can vote for YBTC and for the many other excellent causes, projects and individuals doing exceptional work across Yorkshire, here. Voting closes on March 1st.
YBTC was formed in memory of Yorkshire mum Andrea Keys and provides free, volunteer-led peer support to people affected by brain tumours across Yorkshire.
The charity has invested over £1 million into brain tumour research since its formation.
If you would like more information about joining a group, advice and support or the other ways YBTC can help individuals affected by a brain tumour diagnosis check out the website.
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