I thought that it was about time that I could do something that I was truely proud of. On 28th June 2012 my brave and wonderful cousin died of a brain tumour which he battled for about 10 months, he was 26 years old. Christopher was an inspiration and by doing something I wouldn't normally do I hope to show what he meant to me.

For anyone who knows me they know that I don't particularly enjoy running (the goalie position always suited me down to a tee) and I'm absolutely petrified of heights (I'm already waiting up in hot sweats thinking about this skydive), but I am more than willing to do something a million miles out of my comfort zone to raise awareness of brain tumours.

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

Over 8,500 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour each year. As many brain tumours are not recorded, the figure could be much higher in reality. That's 25 people every single day.

3,500 people lose their lives to a brain tumour every year.

Thousands more are diagnosed with a secondary brain tumour.

Brain tumours are the largest cause of preventable or treatable blindness in children.

Brain tumours reduce life expectancy by, on average, 20 years - the highest of any cancer.

Just 14% of adults survive for five years after diagnosis.

 

Research offers the only real hope of dramatic improvements in the diagnosis, treatment and management of brain tumours. Over £500 million is spent on cancer research in the UK every year, yet less than 2% is spent on brain tumours.

 

£25 could cover the cost of providing the essential information needed by someone living with a brain tumour.

£50 could contribute to the funding of the crucial trial co-ordinator who sets the trial up, runs the patient recruitment and processes the critical data produced from the trial.

£100 could enable us to purchase a specialist piece of equipment to analyse genetic make up, study protein structure or manipulate cells to behave in different ways.

£250 could help cover a day's research for one of our leading brain tumour researchers to further the understanding of a particular type of brain tumour, in order to provide more targeted treatments.

I ask for your support and hope that you can donate even just a small amount to help this amazing charity 

Thanks :)