A father-of-two, from Great Paxton, Cambridgeshire, has been remembered by friends and relatives in an arduous 150-mile cycle.

Steve Holbrook, who served as an officer with Bedfordshire police, died just 21 months after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. Aged 37, Steve left behind his wife, Carrie, and two young children, Emma, eight, and Mason, five.

In blistering 30-degree heat, 20 of Steve’s friends and family members cycled from Maulden to Cromer Beach. Raising funds for the Brain Tumour Research charity, one of those who took part was Steve’s brother, Adam Holbrook, who volunteers with the Milton Keynes-based organisation.

Adam, 37, a chef at The Cottage Bakery, in Ampthill, said: “I would like to thank my family for their support and all the riders who managed to complete the ride in such high temperatures. The fish and chips were well-deserved at the finish line and it was a privilege to take part in this event, which has raised nearly £7,000 for this worthy cause.

“I am also grateful to Richard Clegg and his team at the Co-op in Cromer, who let us finish at their shop, with outstanding hospitality – feeding us, supplying us with drinks and also selling merchandise.”

Another of those who took on the challenge was James Slack, a sports and leisure facilities manager at Dunstable Town Council, who was a close friend of Steve’s.

James, 39, who lives in Flitwick, said: “I met Steve at nursery in Bedfordshire, so we have known each other since we were three. I feel grateful to have known such a loving and determined man and I am inspired by the strength he showed during his illness.”

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.

Michael Thelwall, Head of Community Fundraising at the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of Steve’s friends and family and congratulate them in completing the challenge. The money the bike ride raised will go towards the charity’s network of dedicated Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.”

To make a donation to the Brain Tumour Research charity in memory of Steve, via the team’s JustGiving page, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/maulden2cromer

For further information, please contact:
Annie Slinn at Brain Tumour Research 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.