A 54-mile bike ride from London to Brighton will raise money to help scientists find a cure for brain tumours.

Social worker, Heidi Gazeley, 38, from Woburn Sands, will take part in the London to Brighton challenge on Sunday 17^th June 2018. Honouring the brother of a close friend, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Heidi is raising money for the pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research, which is based in Milton Keynes.

Heidi said: “I’m excited to take part in the London to Brighton bike ride and it will be a privilege to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research. I was shocked by how little spending there is to fund research into the disease.

“Having already beaten my target of £500, I am proud of my achievements and can’t wait for my family and friends to cheer me over the finish line. Hopefully the weather will be good and I’ll be able to get some well-deserved fish and chips at the finish.”

Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Michael Thewall, Community Fundraising Manager at the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “We really appreciate Heidi’s support and wish her the best of luck in completing her challenge. The money raised will help us in our mission to build a network of experts in sustainable research. We are funding dedicated UK Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

“For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Sadly, less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.”

Make a donation to Brain Tumour Research via Heidi’s JustGiving page.

For further information, please contact:
Annie Slinn at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867239 or 07591 206545 or annie.slinn@braintumourresearch.org.

Notes to Editors

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours. We have established a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, over £6 million was raised towards research and support during 2017.

We are campaigning to see the national spend on research into brain tumours increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast cancer and leukaemia. The unprecedented success of our 2015 petition led to the 2016 Westminster Hall debate and Brain Tumour Research taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research with the report being published in 2018.

Key statistics on brain tumours:

• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• They kill more children than leukaemia
• They kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer
• They kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
• Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease
• In the UK 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour
• Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
• Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
• Incidences of, and deaths from, brain tumours are increasing.

Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. Additional facts and statistics are available from our website including our latest Report on National Research Funding. We can also provide case-studies and research expertise for media.