Press release

Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years

Consett sisters fundraise in memory of beloved uncle

Sep 25, 2018

Three sisters who lost their uncle to a brain tumour are raising money for research into the disease at a Rising Sun Country Park sponsored walk.

Gracie,11, Ellie, 13, and Lauren Robson, 15, will join the Brain Tumour Research charity’s Walk of Hope on Saturday 29th September in memory of their uncle, Adam Forster. The girls’ 3.9-mile walk will raise vital funds and also raise awareness of the fact that less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years.

Farmer and keen hunting man Adam Forster passed away at the age of 42, less than a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumour. Adam, who farmed at Camperdown, Shotley Bridge, and followed the Braes of Derwent and Tynedale and Haydon hunts, died in May 2014.

Kerry Robson, mum to the girls and sister to Adam, said: “I’m so proud of the girls for their fundraising. It’s really important to us to keep Adam’s memory alive and if we can fundraise for research into brain tumours at the same time, then that’s fantastic. It’s a devastating disease and I really hope more and more people support Brain Tumour Research and help scientists to find a cure.”

Taking place in the heart of the North Tyneside, the Rising Sun Country Park Walk of Hope will take the Robsons and fellow fundraisers through a beautiful green oasis of 162 hectares, with extensive grasslands, a farm and countryside centre to explore.

Matthew Price, Community Fundraising Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re delighted that Gracie, Ellie and Lauren will be joining us at the Walk of Hope. Their support on the day will help bring us closer to a cure for this devastating disease.

“Despite brain tumours killing more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been historically allocated to this devastating disease. We cannot allow this desperate situation to continue, and we hope as many people as possible with join us on the 29th to help fund the fight and help us find a cure.”

The money raised will go towards Brain Tumour Research which is funding dedicated UK Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

To book your place on the Rising Sun Country Park Walk of Hope, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/rising-sun-country-park-walk and to sponsor Gracie, Ellie and Lauren, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/16adamforsterwalk

For further information, please contact:
Farel James at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867221 or 07592 502708 or Farel.James@braintumourresearch.org

Notes to Editors
Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to raising funds for continuous and sustainable scientific research into brain tumours, and we are a leading voice calling for greater support and action for research into what scientists are calling the last battleground against cancer.

We are building a network of experts in sustainable research at dedicated Centres of Excellence whilst influencing the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more nationally.

We welcome recent funding announcements for research into brain tumours from the UK Government and Cancer Research UK – £65 million pledged over the next five years. However, this potential funding of £13 million a year comes with a catch – money will only be granted to quality research proposals and, due to the historic lack of investment, there may not be enough of these applications that qualify for grants from this pot.

We want research funding parity with breast cancer and leukaemia. We are calling for a £30-35 million investment every year for research into brain tumours in order to fund the basic research groundwork needed to accelerate the translation from laboratory discoveries into clinical trials and fast-track new therapies for this devastating disease.

The Brain Tumour Research charity is a powerful campaigning organisation and represents the voice of the brain tumour community across the UK. We helped establish and provide the ongoing Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Brain Tumours (APPGBT). We are supporting the crucial APPGBT 2018 Inquiry into the economic and social impacts of brain tumours and will publish their report in the autumn. We are also a key influencer in the development strategy for the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.

Key statistics on brain tumours:

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

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