Memorial fundraiser for much-missed singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriter Pippa Simpson was in the early weeks of a music course at Goldsmiths' College, in London, in 2017 when she first had a seizure.

- by Harriet Sutton

She never imagined it would turn out to be the first sign of a brain tumour.

Pippa was diagnosed with anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (APXA), a rare and aggressive tumour, at 20. She returned home to Ilkley, where she underwent treatment including surgery and radiotherapy at St James's Hospital, Leeds.

"She had a brief period of remission for a few years," explains one of her two sisters, 31-year-old Anna. "She used that to resume her studies, doing music production at Leeds Conservatoire. She graduated and received their lifetime achievement award.