“We can all be part of the human-sized picture.”

Baroness Tessa Jowell
1947 –2018

The Tessa Jowell Foundation is delivering Tessa’s legacy by raising funds to expand and accelerate the delivery of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM).

The Tessa Jowell Foundation was founded by Tessa’s family following her death and is led by her daughter Jess Mills. The Foundation is a founding member and key strategic funder of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, where we work in partnership with 95+ leading stakeholders in brain cancer including Cancer Research UK, NIHR, NHS leaders and all of the leading UK brain cancer charities to deliver Tessa’s extraordinary legacy and transform NHS brain cancer services.

In her famous last speech in the House of Lords, Tessa appealed for society’s big problems to not be put into the “too difficult box”.

The Tessa Jowell Foundation is focused on raising much-needed funds so that the TJBCM is able to deliver its hugely ambitious national programmes that serve to close shocking health inequality gaps in the UK.

Impact to Date

  • 17 hospitals across the UK have been designated as adult Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence, covering a population of 40 million people.

  • After only 5 years this work has been commended by the NHS as being "unprecedented and exemplary" and is beginning to show real impact for both brain cancer professionals and patients.

  • Brain cancer is the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, so we are now supporting the expansion of the work for this age group with the NHS Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence for Children.

  • We are awaiting the designation of the first-ever Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence for Children in early 2024, which will be the culmination of over 2 years of work.

  • Over 1,000 Health Care Professionals have joined the Tessa Jowell Academy, a free online platform providing free training, resources, and networking opportunities. It is creating the first truly national network of brain cancer professionals.

Our Vision

A world where the best cancer treatment and care is available to all

Our Mission

We gather the world’s experts to develop cutting-edge solutions for cancer and implement them fairly for every patient