A brain tumour patient who took on a spinathon challenge last year despite undergoing chemotherapy has raised more vital funds for research into the disease that changed his life forever.

Leeds resident Rory Burke, 46, suffered from a seizure while driving to work in early 2012, and was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After undergoing surgery and treatment to control it, Rory rediscovered his love of exercise and raised over £3,500 at Brain Tumour Research’s annual On Yer Bike event in 2017. This year, he thundered through 30km in an hour and raised an additional £1000 for the charity.

“Over 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year in the UK, though little is known about the disease. Exercise has paid such a crucial part in both my emotional and physical wellbeing since I was diagnosed” said Rory

“I took part in this event last year while I was undergoing chemo, however I found this year a lot harder. I’m too stubborn to cop-out of something just because I’m not feeling great, so I dug deep and thankfully I got through it on the day.”

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. We challenged people to saddle-up and ride for research, and they didn’t disappoint.

It costs £2,740 to fund a day of research at one of Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

Carol Robertson, Head of Community Fundraising (North) for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are extremely grateful to Rory for taking part in this On Yer Bike event. Completing this event post-treatment is a testament to his strength, courage and determination to find a cure.

“The money raised on Saturday 3^rd February will go towards research into the causes of brain tumours and improving treatments and finding a cure for this devastating disease.”

The On Yer Bike initiative began as a local event and was inspired by Paul Halfpenny, 36, from Hadfield, Derbyshire. Paul and his wife Jen, 28, had been together for just a few months when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Unfortunately, six years after his diagnosis, Paul lost his battle against the tumour and passed away in 2014.

To make a donation to Brain Tumour Research via Rory’s JustGiving page go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rory-burke 

Brain Tumour Research’s next event is Wear A Hat Day on 29th March. For more information go to: wearahatday.org 

For further information, please contact:
Lexie Jenkins at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867222 or 07591 206545 or Lexie.Jenkins@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.