After losing her father to a brain tumour, Emma Barltrop took part in a charity walk, along with her mother, Jane Barltrop and sister daughter, Alice Sulaj, as well as her partner Chris Grenville, which has so far raised more than £13,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

Emma, 28, of Tring, Jane, 57, from Harlington, in Bedfordshire and Alice, 31, from Milton Keynes, were inspired to take part in the Grand Union Canal Walk after loving father and husband, Peter, died from an aggressive brain tumour in August 2016. Peter had experienced a series of seizures, a bleed on the brain and subsequent surgery before he was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma multiforme in January 2015. Since Peter passed away, the family have set up Fluffy Cloud & Co, a fundraising group under the umbrella of pioneering national charity, Brain Tumour Research, to raise awareness and much-needed funds for research.

This was the sixth year the canal walk has been held and around 90 people and five dogs took part in the 11-mile walk along the picturesque canal on Saturday 30^th September 2017.

Emma, said: “Research into this disease is really important to me, as brain tumours can affect anyone at any age, but no one knows what causes them. It was lovely to have both Mum and Alice on the walk with Chris and me to celebrate Dad’s life. I hope our efforts will help raise awareness of the current underfunding for research into brain tumours.”

Walkers set out on the Grand Union Canal Walk from the Three Locks pub in Stoke Hammond, having first been tempted with coffee and bacon or sausage butties to start the day. The group then walked the 5 ½ miles to the Grove Lock pub, where they enjoyed a picnic or pub lunch.

At the end of the walk participants received a medal for being part of Brain Tumour Research’s Fighting Force. They were then able to choose from a charity menu at the Three Locks pub and order a specially created ale, "Hops for Hope", from The Leighton Buzzard Brewing Company. A percentage of both the menu and ale sales during the month of September is going to Brain Tumour Research.

Paula Rastrick, Community Fundraising Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “This is always a popular event for us, as the whole family can get involved. Many of those who took part in the walk know only too well the devastation a brain tumour causes. There was a strong sense of fellowship and sharing an experience, which is a very positive thing.

“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.

“We really appreciate all those who took part in the walk. Money raised on the day will go towards research into the causes of brain tumours and improving treatments and ultimately finding a cure for this horrible disease.”

To sponsor Jane, Alice and Emma, you can make a donation to Fluffy Cloud & Co via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fluffycloudandco

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 are building a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, £5.5 million was raised towards research and support during 2016.

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 charity is celebrating a year of high-profile campaigning on this issue following the unprecedented success of its petition in 2016. Following that, Brain Tumour Research is now taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research.

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.