A man from Rothwell took part in the half-marathon Santa Run at Stanwick Lakes at the weekend in memory of a friend lost to a brain tumour.

Sean Connolly has completed numerous running events in memory of Alan Mills, who had been a Rothwell and Kettering councillor and mayor of Rothwell before he passed away in July 2016.

Alan lived with his wife Karen next door to Sean Connolly’s shop, The Northampton Grocer, in the High Street and would come in to buy his weekly fruit and vegetables. Since losing his friend, Sean has been supporting the Brain Tumour Research charity to help find a cure for brain tumours which kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national cancer spend has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Sean has averaged a half-marathon each month this year and also completed the Berlin marathon in September and the London Marathon last year.

Sean said: “Over the last two years since I started this amazing and very emotional journey, we have put on various fundraising events and activities and I have constantly pushed the limits as to what I can achieve. We have raised more than £7,500 for Brain Tumour Research in Alan’s memory and I would really like to get the total to £8,000 before the end of the year.

“Alan worked tirelessly for the people of Rothwell and the wider community. He was the town bailiff and a town and borough councillor, always putting the needs of others before his own. He was also always willing to help others with their various charitable activities.

“I remember him asking me if I had more pomegranates as his doctor had recommended their health benefits. That’s when he told me about his brain tumour and that he had been advised to eat healthier food.

“It was an honour to know Alan and great that I have got to know his family too. I have already applied to do the Berlin Marathon again next year and am hoping to get a place in the New York Marathon too, so the fundraising continues! Please help by donating whatever you can. Together we will find a cure.”

Paula Rastrick, community fundraising manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “For too long brain tumours have been a neglected cancer. Sean is helping us to fund research into brain tumours at our dedicated centres. We are very grateful to him for his support, as well as to all who have donated inspired by Alan and Sean.”

Money raised for Brain Tumour Research will help fund dedicated UK Research Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure. Historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours and the charity is lobbying the government and the larger cancer charities to increase this.

To add your donation go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sean-connolly18

For further information, please contact:
Liz Fussey at Brain Tumour Research on 07811 068357 or Liz@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
• Historically, 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.