A woman who lost her mum to a brain tumour is taking on a 54-mile cycling challenge to help fund research into the disease.

Ashleigh Acres, 27, will cycle from London to Brighton to raise money for the Brain Tumour Research charity in memory of her mum, Ellie Hindle. Ashleigh, who lives in Maidstone, will be joined by her husband, Joe Acres, 30, also from Kent.

Ellie Hindle was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2006 when she had a routine MRI scan following surgery unrelated to her tumour. She had radiotherapy at the Bristol Royal Infirmary but deteriorated quickly, becoming very weak on her left-hand side and struggling with eating, walking and getting dressed. She died in 2008, with her family by her side, when Ashleigh was just 17.

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.

Marketing assistant Ashleigh, originally from Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset, said: “Losing mum when I was so young was extremely difficult. Her condition deteriorated almost overnight and it was devastating to see the impact of this dreadful disease. I was fortunate to meet my future husband not long after my mum passed away and have really appreciated his support over the years. I’m pleased he will be cycling beside me on the day.

“Both Joe and I are complete novices so we are a little apprehensive of sitting on a bike for 54 miles. However, no challenge we face compares to the determination my mum showed 10 years ago and of those fighting their own battles.”

The London to Brighton Cycle Ride is a mass-participation bike ride covering the 54 miles from Clapham Common in London to Madeira Drive on the Brighton sea front. Over 4,000 riders are expected to take part in the challenge, which takes place on Sunday 16^th September.

Tim Green, Senior Community Fundraising Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are extremely grateful for Ashleigh and Joe’s support and wish them all the best for the bike ride. Ellie’s story reminds us that less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers. For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue.”

To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Ashleigh’s JustGiving page, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/acresgoeslycra

For further information, please contact:
Annie Slinn at the Brain Tumour Research charity 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 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.