A charity is calling on people to take on a “wee bit” of the West Highland Way to raise vital funds towards research into brain tumours.

The inaugural Loch Lomond Walk of Hope will see fundraisers take on a 14-mile route around the loch’s beautiful shores in support of the Brain Tumour Research charity. The annual Walk of Hope events take place nationwide every September but the Loch Lomond walk will be the first of its kind in Scotland.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 29^th September, sets off at Balmaha village on the eastern shore of the loch, and walkers can admire the breath-taking views of the Trossachs National Park as they head towards the Rowardennan Hotel for a drink and a bite to eat before returning to Balmaha.

Joe Woollcott, Community Fundraising Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “The Walks of Hope are always a popular event for us and we’re looking forward to introducing the event for our supporters in Scotland. It’s a fun and leisurely way to raise funds and walkers of all ages are welcome, making it a perfect outing for the whole family.

“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 each year than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.”

The registration fee is £10 for individuals and £20 for families. All walkers will receive a t-shirt and, upon completing the walk, be awarded with a medal for being part of the charity’s fantastic Fighting Force.

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, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/loch-lomond-walk

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