A local land drainage consultant and business-owner has climbed Blencathra for the Brain Tumour Research charity, motivated by her own diagnosis with the disease.

When Jenny Lambert, from Fimber near Driffield, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, her dream of climbing Blencathra in the Lake District was suddenly put on hold. Jenny’s diagnosis came following a series of vision problems and although doctors initially suspected a stroke, the cause was a grade four brain tumour. Jenny then underwent emergency surgery to remove the majority of the tumour followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Now, just 18 months on from her diagnosis and aged 61, Jenny has regained her strength and conquered Blencathra.

Jenny, who owns Land Drainage Consultancy Ltd with her husband Ray Lambert, said: “Blencathra towers over our small holiday cottage and to be able to look at it now and think, ‘I’ve climbed that’, gives me a huge sense of achievement.

“Despite temperatures hitting 30 degrees, 20 of us and eight dogs reached the top. It was a severe challenge but it was so satisfying and enjoyable to achieve it. We all celebrated with champagne at the top!”

Words of encouragement from world-renowned mountaineer Doug Scott CBE, who coincidentally lives next door to the Lambert’s holiday cottage in the Lake District, also spurred Jenny on throughout her challenge. Doug is best known for his 1975 Everest expedition in which he and Dougal Haston became the first to ascend the south-west face of the world’s highest peak. His greatest adventure, however, came two years later when he reached the summit of the Ogre with Chris Bonnington but broke both legs during the subsequent descent and had to crawl to base camp.

Blencathra, also known as Saddleback, stands at 2,848ft tall, making it the fifth highest mountain in the Lake District.

Jenny continued: “Discovering I had a brain tumour was devastating but the excellent care I’ve received at Hull Royal Infirmary has spurred me on to give something back. More research is needed into brain tumours and I’m anxious to help improve the outcomes for people going through the same experience as I have. I’ve raised over £3,000 so far but I want to continue doing whatever I can.”

Luke and Ben Lambert, Jenny’s sons, will add to her total in September by completing the Great North Run. Jenny added: “The cause is also extremely close to my son’s hearts and I’m so proud that they are fundraising too.”

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.

Carol Robertson, Head of Community Fundraising at the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “Jenny’s mountain climb is a tremendous achievement and we are extremely grateful to her for fundraising. The money raised will help us in our mission to build a network of experts in sustainable research. We are funding dedicated UK Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.”

Make a donation to the Brain Tumour Research charity via Jenny’s JustGiving page.

For further information, please contact:
Farel Williams at the Brain Tumour Research charity 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 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.