Two families, who both live on the Badger’s Estate in Buckingham and have been affected by brain tumours, have helped to launch a national fundraising campaign to find a cure for the disease.

Emma Shudell, aged 40, along with Jayne Hilsdon, 56, are working with the national charity Brain Tumour Research  to support this year’s Wear A Hat Day which takes place on Thursday 29^th March.

Along with her husband, Phil, and children Finley, seven, and Niamh, two, Emma, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March last year, met businesswoman, model and brain tumour survivor, Caprice Bourret at the charity’s HQ in Milton Keynes to launch the campaign on Saturday 3^rd March.

Emma, underwent an awake craniotomy at the John Radcliffe in December last year in which surgeons only managed to remove very little of the tumour, although enough for a biopsy. She has been told she has a slow-growing astrocytoma brain tumour and is on three-monthly scans.

Jayne, and her husband Tim, inspired by their son Oli, 26, a brain tumour patient, are also supporting Brain Tumour Research, and came to the launch of the Wear A Hat Day campaign.

Having been diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable brain tumour in 2014, for which he had surgery, chemotherapy, radiotheraphy and immunotherapy treatment, Oli was given the devastating news recently that his tumour had reoccurred. He underwent further surgery last month and is now undergoing chemotherapy whilst trying to raise £230,000 for a cancer vaccine not available through the NHS.

Caprice underwent surgery to remove a low-grade brain tumour which was diagnosed a year ago and continues to be monitored by her medical team. Launching Wear A Hat Day 2018, she said: “I have been so touched by Emma and Oli’s stories and the incredible work their families are doing fundraising for Brain Tumour Research. It is a sad fact that brain tumours affect so many people and that this devastating disease is indiscriminate and can affect anyone at any age – I never even used to get headaches before I was diagnosed.

“I am proud to be working with Emma and Jayne and their families and so many others to support Wear A Hat Day. I want everyone to get involved! It’s such a fun event and anyone can take part. Let’s all put our hats on and do something positive for Oli and Emma and support the fantastic research going on right now. I am determined to try to make a difference for the 16,000 people diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.

Emma said: “I am literally only now just starting to accept that I have a brain tumour. I thought it would be a case of “let’s get it out and then you can get on with your life!” Now I have to learn to live with having a brain tumour and the effects it has on me, which range from exhaustion to balance issues, as well as, on bad days, difficulties with communication and memory.”

Jayne commented: “Like Emma and her family, we are dedicated to continuing to raise awareness of brain tumours and are really proud of the thousands Oli has raised so far for Brain Tumour Research. We have had such wonderful support from people in and around Buckingham and I hope they will once again join us by getting involved in Wear A Hat Day.”

Other high profile names supporting Wear A Hat Day 2018 are television, radio and stage performer, Debbie McGee, who lost husband Paul Daniels to a brain tumour in 2016 and actor and author Sheila Hancock CBE, whose grandson survived a childhood brain tumour.

Specsavers will be supporting Wear A Hat Day 2018 as an official sponsor for the first time.

Wear A Hat Day has raised over a million pounds since it was launched by Brain Tumour Research nine years ago and is the culmination of Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March. The big day will see schools, workplaces, families and individuals across the UK fundraising and taking part in fun events to raise awareness of brain tumours and help fund life-saving research.

Brain tumours 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. Funds raised through Wear A Hat Day 2018 will develop the charity’s network of world-class brain tumour research centres in the UK.

To get involved, or donate, please visit: www.wearahatday.org

Or text HAT to 70660 to donate £5*

#HATTASTIC

* Texts cost £5 plus network charge. Brain Tumour Research receives 100% of your donation. Obtain the bill payer’s permission. Call 01908 867200 with any queries.

For further information, please contact:
Liz Fussey at Brain Tumour Research on 07811 068357 or Liz@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 published in February 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
• 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.