A trainee solicitor is taking on the Great North Run to raise funds for research into brain tumours after two friends were diagnosed with the disease.

Olivia Lewis, aged 25, works at the Leeds office of law firm Gateley Plc where a solicitor and another friend have each been diagnosed within months of each other.

Martin Barnes, 29, is a newly-qualified solicitor and has a malignant brain tumour and Neil Taylor, 32, also has a high-grade tumour.

Olivia, who lives in Barnsley, will be among thousands of runners taking part in the Great North Run, the world’s biggest half marathon. This year’s Great North Run takes place on 10^th September, starting in Newcastle and covering a 13.1 mile route.

A 35-strong team will be taking part and raising money for Brain Tumour Research which funds a network of Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving treatments for patients and finding a cure. Each day of research costs £2,740.

Olivia said: “I have never taken part in a long distance run like this before and both Martin and Neil are extremely appreciative and supportive, in fact they were the first to sponsor me.

“To have two friends diagnosed with brain tumours within three months of each other is a huge shock. Both have been so positive they have inspired me to take on this challenge.”

Suzanne McKenna, Head of Community Fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are extremely grateful to Olivia and wish both of her friends well. Sadly, their families are not alone as 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.”

To sponsor Olivia please go to http://www.justgiving.com/Olivia-LewisGNR

For further information, please contact:
Susan Castle-Smith at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867206 or 07887 241639 or Susan@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
• 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.