The husband and brother of a young mum who died just hours after being diagnosed with a brain tumour are abseiling the UK’s tallest sculpture to raise vital funds for research to find a cure for the disease.

Rachel Bridger’s husband, Gareth Bridger, and brother Stuart Brown, will abseil the 114.5-metre-high ArcelorMittal Orbit on Saturday 19^th May to mark the one-year anniversary of her death.

Rachel, from Bognor Regis, began experiencing painful headaches in March 2017, which worsened over the following two months. In May, two serious seizures led to Rachel falling into a coma and being put on life support. It wasn’t until this incident that Rachel was diagnosed with a glioblastoma – a highly aggressive brain tumour – and sadly she died just the next day, aged only 36. Rachel, who worked as a healthcare assistant at Petworth Cottage Nursing Home, left behind her husband and two young children Ollie and Lily.

Gareth, also known as Raff, said: “Rachel’s illness was so sudden and it was such a horrible shock to our family to lose her like that. This month is the first anniversary of her death and although it’s a sad time for us, we want to do something fun in her memory.

“It’s too late to help Rachel but I want to raise funds so that one day a cure is found. I hope by the time my kids grow up that this devastating disease no longer affects people.”

Joining Gareth and Stuart are two friends, Laura Dabbs from Northchapel, and Simon Greet from Midhurst. Together the group are aiming to raise £1,400 for Brain Tumour Research.

Laura, aged 28, who worked with Rachel at Petworth Cottage Nursing Home, said: “I’ve never abseiled before so I am slightly nervous. However, I’m determined to go through with it in Rachel’s memory.

“She was an amazing friend and her passing has been so devastating for everyone who knew her. I want to help raise funds for research into brain tumours because no one should have to suffer like Rachel and her family did.”

Janice Wright, Community Fundraising Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: ““Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone, at any age, at any time. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer – and they kill more women under 35 than breast cancer – yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this fight devastating disease.

“We are extremely grateful to Laura, Gareth, Stuart and Simon, and wish them all the best for a successful event. We hope as many people as possible will support their endeavour, or even consider holding their own events, helping us to spread the word about this terrible disease.”

The money raised will go towards the pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research which funds a network of dedicated Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

Make a donation to Brain Tumour Research via Laura’s JustGiving page.

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 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 in the UK 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.