Plymouth University neuroscientist, Professor David Parkinson, is in training for a gruelling 100-mile cycle ride to raise funds for research to find a cure.

Keen cyclist Prof. Parkinson is celebrating his ten-year anniversary at the University, working within the specialist brain tumour research centre on campus, with this challenge. He aims to raise at least £500 for pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research, which supports the centre.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer but just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. The charity is striving to fund a network of seven dedicated research centres whilst challenging the government and larger cancer charities to invest more in brain tumour research.

Prof. Parkinson is among 24 cyclists supporting the charity by taking part in Prudential RideLondon, described as “the world’s greatest festival of cycling.” Some 25,000 are expected for the RideLondon-Surrey 100 mile sportive which will set off from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London on Sunday 30^th July before heading through the capital and out into the Surrey countryside and returning to the finish on The Mall.  

Prof. Parkinson said: “After decades of research under-funding, it is an exciting time to be a researcher in this field right now. We are seeing, for the first time, new features in brain tumours that provide fresh opportunities for the development of the innovative treatments of the future.

“The efforts of Brain Tumour Research in bringing the brightest minds together, and funding their collaboration, will undoubtedly speed up progress and get us closer to a cure.” 

Carol Robertson, Head of Community Fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: “For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer. We cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. We are extremely grateful for David’s support and wish him well.”

To make a donation to Brain Tumour Research via Prof. Parkinson’s JustGiving page, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/d-parkinson.

Brain Tumour Research is campaigning to see the national spend on brain tumour research increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast and leukaemia, in order to advance treatments, and ultimately find a cure.

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.