A grandad who died just months after his brain tumour diagnosis has been remembered at a fundraising walk.

Ellis Woodward, five, from Alton, stepped up to the mark to remember his grandad at a Walk of Hope along the Portsmouth seafront. He was joined by his parents Sharon and Dan Woodward, 38 and 37, as they completed one of several nationwide walks organised by the Brain Tumour Research charity.

The family-of-three took part in the event in memory of John Hatt, who lived in Leighton Buzzard, who died in July 2016. Tragically, John passed away just nine months after his diagnosis with an aggressive brain tumour, aged 71, leaving his wife, Vicky, daughter Sharon and grandson Ellis.

On Saturday 29^th September, joined by 200 other walkers, the family set off from the cobbled streets of Old Portsmouth before heading towards Southsea Common and South Parade Pier.

Sharon has taken on a number of other fundraisers to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, including cake sales and even walking on fire. She is aiming to raise £2,740, enough to place a tile on the charity’s Wall of Hope, which represents the amount it costs to fund a day’s research.

Sharon said: “Since Dad died, we’ve found a great support in fundraising for Brain Tumour Research and we're so proud to be taking on the Walk of Hope for the charity. We’re hopeful that one day there will be a breakthrough in the research into brain tumours and we want to help raise funds for this vital cause.”

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.

Tim Green, senior community fundraising manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and stories like John’s remind us all that we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Sadly, less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.

“We are very grateful to Ellis, Sharon and Dan for taking part in the Portsmouth Walk of Hope. The money raised on the day will go towards research into the causes of brain tumours, improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.”

To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Sharon’s JustGiving page visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/woodwardwalk

For further information, please contact:
Annie Slinn at the Brain Tumour Research charity on 01908 867239 or 07591 206545 or annie.slinn@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.