A Bristol nurse is taking on the Virgin Money London Marathon for the pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research after a close friend was diagnosed with the disease.

Sophie Stirling, aged 28, was inspired to take on the running challenge after her friend, Amy Quin, aged 35 from Poole, was diagnosed with a grade three astrocytoma in May 2016. Amy, who is mum to five-year-old Hector and a part-time barber at Flash Harry’s in Dorchester, experienced severe headaches and despite several visits to her GP, the tumour went undiagnosed.

Three months on from her initial symptoms, Amy suddenly lost all feeling in the left side of her body and was rushed to A&E where an MRI scan identified an inoperable tumour, and she was given the prognosis of seven years. Since diagnosis, Amy has been given shunts and undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy to control the tumour’s growth.

Sophie, who works is a deputy sister on the Emergency Admissions unit at Poole Hospital, said: “Having worked in emergency departments, it has always struck a chord with me how dreadful brain tumours are – it’s often young people who are affected too. When Amy was diagnosed, the devastation of the disease really hit home and now I want to do whatever I can to raise awareness and funds for research into brain tumours.

“I ran the Edinburgh marathon last year and raised over £700 for Brain Tumour Research, and now I’m aiming to top that by raising £1,000 through running the London Marathon.”

The money Sophie raises 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.

Tim Green, Community Fundraising Manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer – and more women under 35 than breast cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

“For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer. Stories like Amy’s remind us all that we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. We are extremely grateful to Sophie for her support and we wish them the best of luck for the marathon. Together we will find a cure.”

To make a donation to Brain Tumour Research via Sophie’s JustGiving page go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sophie-stirling7

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 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
• 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.