We are climbing Ben Nevis and Stob Ban, for The Brain Tumour Charity, in loving memory of Jaswant Singh Badhesha, who sadly passed away on the 8th February 2018. Jaz, as he was affectionately known, was a much loved son, brother, husband and friend to all he knew. Sadly in 2009 Jaz was diagnosed with a brain tumour, (an anaplastic astrocytoma) after which he had surgery followed by prolonged chemotherapy.

Please donate whatever you would like to.  Every donation, irrespective of the amount, would be greatly appreciated. 

About the Challenge

On the 28th September 2018 we will be climbing Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of Scotland, close to the town of Fort William and is affectionately known as 'The Ben.' The summit stands at 1,345m (4,411ft 2in). 

This will be followed on the 29^th September by an ascent of Stob Ban another Scottish mountain situated at the western end of the Mamores ridge, to its peak which stands at a height of 999 metres (3,278 feet).

About Jaz

Jaz was born on the 4th February 1980 and grew up in Derby with his mother Gurjit, father Amardeep and brother Kulraj. He attended local schools – Dale Primary and Littleover School – before going on to graduate as a doctor from the University of Leicester in 2004. After some time in England he continued his postgraduate surgical training in Scotland.  He married at Culzean Castle in 2014 and settled in Glasgow, where he had lived for a number of years whilst working as an orthopaedic surgeon.

Jaz was an amazing person to be around. His sharp wit, humour and infectious personality meant you couldn’t help but enjoy his company.   Jas was certainly not someone with narrow intellectual interests. He was interested in everything and had a tremendous passion for life which led him to enjoy a wide range of pursuits and interests. Alongside his hard work for exams, he also liked to let his hair down and subscribed to a “work hard-play hard” ethic. His love of Manchester United (not to be held against him), cars and of course music were apparent from an early age.  Anyone that knew Jaz well would not be able to forget his impromptu music quizzes, which were always a welcome light relief during gatherings, even though his scoring system will forever remain shrouded in mystery.  Knowing Jaz, he is probably ‘up there’ right now, playlist blaring, allocating and randomly deducting points at will!!

The lifelong friendships Jaz made in Derby and at University remain to this day.  This friendship group is the consequence of the unique individual that Jaz was and the irreplaceable importance that he had in each of our lives.

Jaz was a true inspiration.  His strength of character and quiet stoicism in the face of such adversity was extraordinary.  You would never hear him complain about his diagnosis.  Jaz did everything he could to get on with life and live it as fully as he could, confronting his illness with tremendous courage, dignity and grace.   He was determined not to let his tumour stop him from what he loved most, helping others.  He continued to work and pursue his surgical career for as long as was physically possible, only stopping when he was forced to, due his declining health. 

Jaz spent his life helping others and went out of his way for others.  He was an excellent, much respected surgeon, much loved by his colleagues and patients.  It is fitting that his general ethos should continue after his death for the betterment of others. 

It’s for this reason we would like to raise as much money as possible for The Brain Tumour Charity, to fight an incredibly worthy cause and to remember our friend, Jaz.  

About The Brain Tumour Charity

The Brain Tumour Charity is at the forefront of the fight to defeat brain tumours. They are committed to tackling brain tumours on all fronts through research, awareness and support to save lives and improve quality of life.

- Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40.

- Over 10,600 people are diagnosed each year with a primary brain tumour, including 500 children and young people – that's 29 people every day.

- Just 19% of adults survive for five years after diagnosis.

- Over 5,000 people lose their lives to a brain tumour each year. Brain tumours reduce life expectancy by on average 20 years – the highest of any cancer.

Your money would go toward:

- Funding pioneering research to find new treatments, improving understanding, increasing survival rates and bringing us closer to a cure.

- Raising awareness of the symptoms and effects of brain tumours, to reduce diagnosis times and making a difference every day to the lives of people with a brain tumour and their families.

- Providing support and information for anyone affected to improve quality of life.

More information

You can find more detail about the charity and how your money will be spent at:

https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/

https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/get-involved/why-we-need-your-support/

https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/get-involved/donate/impact-your-money-makes/