Doing it for Daniel

26/05/2026

23 - our precious Daniel 💛🎗️

22/05/2026

Today is Daniel's 23rd birthday. I have never met anyone who loved a birthday more than Daniel.
Here he is celebrating our dog Alfie's birthday. The last birthday we were able to have with him was his 17th and it was devastating as we had just been told he had terminal brain cancer and there was no treatment for it. Instead of driving lessons, happiness and celebration our lives were completely destroyed. To mark Daniel's 23rd birthday we have donated £23,000 to the high grade glioma lab at . The scientists there collaborate with labs throughout the world and they are trying to make brain cancer treatable. Brain cancer is the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40. Since we started we have lost so many children to this devastating disease.
This morning I received an email to say that the petition we shared from now has a date for debate in parliament - 15th June. If you want to do something to remember Daniel today please go to the substack website and email your
MP urging them to attend this debate.
It's really easy to copy the template and there is a link to find out your MP.
Please mention our beautiful Daniel if you knew him. Every small voice has a big impact. Thank you to everyone who supports the work we do in Daniel's name. It's really hard to keep going when our hearts are shattered but we know Daniel would want us to keep trying to live. Happy birthday our beautiful boy. Another year closer to being where you are 💛🎗️

https://braincancerjustice.substack.com/p/exciting-news-to-share?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e232_tv2_tp1_a1demo0bfrfg4s&fbclid=IwRlRTSAR9LpNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe10G78Nfxf7OCWygxx2yAY6ntaIg7pkknlPs31LVRS4vG2PWOTLu_dDW8nDE_aem_hdNLEVqh6U5Z4cY606_stg

17/05/2026

Today is DIPG/DMG awareness day and The Institute of Cancer Research is sharing Daniel’s story. Please read it in the link. Diffuse midline glioma is the cancer that kills most children. It currently has no treatment plan and children diagnosed with this brain cancer have months to a year life expectancy. Daniel had 7 months from diagnosis. As well as supporting children with cancer practically we also help fund research which will hopefully bring treatment options for future children. We must fight it. We do this on Daniel’s birthday every year. Daniel should be celebrating his 23rd birthday this coming Friday. Losing our incredible boy is a pain we can’t describe. The grief is exhausting but we keep going, trying our best to live. Today we think of all the children and young adults taken by this monster cancer. There are far too many 💔

“We would like DIPG to no longer be a death sentence”

Daniel Caplan was 17 when he died in November 2020, just seven months after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour, diffuse midline glioma (DMG)/DIPG.

There are currently no effective treatments for DIPG. Daniel was determined to raise money for brain tumour research to give others hope and the chance of treatment he didn’t have.

In his memory, his parents, Alison and Brian, set up the Doing it for Daniel Foundation to fulfil his wish.

The Foundation has generously supported our Diffuse Midline Glioma /DIPG research, making a hugely positive impact on the work being undertaken by Professor Chris Jones and his team to bring about effective treatments, sooner.

We are so grateful to them for their incredible support, which is helping us to work towards a brighter future for families like theirs.

To mark DIPG Awareness Day, we’re sharing Daniel’s story’: https://www.icr.ac.uk/research-and-discoveries/cancer-blogs/detail/science-talk/every-child-diagnosed-with-brain-cancer-should-have-a-chance-at-life-alison-s-story

15/05/2026

This week we helped young people aged 5, 16 and 18 dealing with cancer. We purchased a scooter, helmet and jigsaw and sent 2 financial grants to help the families.
One of these young people is receiving palliative care and we send all our love to this family. May is a difficult month for us as it is Daniel's birthday next week and also the month he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Not a day goes by that we don't think of Daniel. We love you so much Daniel. Your yellow rose bush is beginning to flower for your 23rd birthday 💛💐🎗️

08/05/2026

Daniel’s friend Matthew is running the Edinburgh marathon just after Daniel’s 23rd birthday this month. Matthew and Daniel went to school together when we lived in London and stayed in touch when we moved back to Glasgow. Matthew is a wonderful supporter of Daniel’s charity. We’re so grateful to this wonderful young man. It really means so much when Daniel’s friends do things to help his charity. It would mean so much to Daniel too, especially in May - the month of his birthday and brain tumour awareness. If you can help Matthew reach his target during brain tumour awareness month we would be so grateful 💛🎗️. https://www.justgiving.com/page/matthew-woolf-edinburgh-marathon?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

03/05/2026

Today is International Bereaved Mother’s Day. I’m a strong mother but believe me when I say there is no pain like the pain of losing your child. For our family being told Daniel had terminal cancer with no treatment options was the start of our nightmare. Trying our best to find experimental treatments but failing. Nursing him at home until he died the most horrendous death that no amount of pain relief could take away. Burying him in the ground at 17. Knowing that he was so desperate to live and would have treasured every moment of his life. Thinking of all bereaved mothers today who are trying to live without their precious children. We will never forget our beautiful Daniel. We miss him every second of every day 💚

15/04/2026

In the last couple of weeks Daniel’s charity has helped 6 young people with cancer. We gave grants to an 18 year old and 12 year old for some new clothes, bought a Garmin smart watch for a 13 year old and gave a grant for a bedroom makeover for a 5 year old. We also gave grants for some nice days out to 2 teenagers. We know Daniel would be so happy we are doing good things for children dealing with the nightmare he faced. Next month he should be turning 23. He has missed so much of a life he loved so much. We can’t describe how much we miss him. We try very hard to keep going. It’s so hard living without him but we keep trying. We have a limited number of spaces at Daniel’s Beach House in the coming months so please get in touch if you would like to book 💛🎗️

31/03/2026

Read this carefully. The first time in over 20 years a drug has been approved for brain cancer in the UK. Whilst this is a really positive development, the lack of progress generally is staggering and we are losing so many children to brain cancer. This is why we fund research every year on Daniel’s birthday. Research that has a real possibility of translating to clinical trials for children who would otherwise be offered very little. We are nowhere near to where we should be and must keep striving to do more for future patients 💛🎗️

Our vision is to find a cure for brain tumours. We are fundraising research at Centres of Excellence to help fight brain cancer.

23/03/2026

Happy Monday everyone 👋 🌸. We hope you are all doing well. We have been busy these last few weeks in Daniel’s charity. We have booked many families into Daniel’s Beach House for respite breaks. We have also helped 6 young people with our gifts and grants service. These included a 16 year old with a brain tumour, a 6 year old with leukaemia and an 11 year old with lymphoma. We provided financial grants, gifts for clothing, a new TV, lots of gaming equipment and a lovely purchase of a trampoline, slide and swing. To all these youngsters going through the darkest of times we send so much love. We never stop thinking of how the children we help are doing. We hope any treatment they are receiving has the best possible impact 💛🎗️

15/03/2026

As a mum, the love I have for my children is fierce. I would give my life for my boys and my 2 little dogs. I know that might be hard to comprehend for some but it’s my reality as a mum. My children are everything to me. I couldn’t save my beautiful Daniel from cancer and it breaks my heart every day that I couldn’t save my darling boy. To all mothers reading this - your love is so special. There is nothing more precious than a mother’s love. To all our bereaved mothers in the cancer community we send huge love to you today and always 🌸🩵