This fundraiser is in memory of our dad, Garrett, who died of a brain tumour in February 2020. In his memory, I am taking on the Bondi to Manly 80k Ultramarathon this October. Funds raised will go to The Brain Tumour Charity (TBTC), the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally.

They say the brain is the control centre of the human body, and Garrett was well able to use his! With the nickname ‘Logic’ coined for him from a young age, he was as quick witted as he was considerate. He was thoughtful and had a huge heart, and to this day we still hear stories from friends who remember him fondly. It’s comforting to know he lives on in people’s memories.

He was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma (GBM) in August 2018, undergoing surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy as part of his treatment. It is a testament to his character that, even during treatment, his kindness and strength never wavered.

GBM is the most aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. It grows and spreads quickly within the brain, often making surgery difficult or incomplete. GBM is also the most common type, affecting one in three adults who are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour.

Sadly, the average life expectancy for someone with a glioblastoma is short - just 12 to 15 months, and only about 5% of patients survive beyond five years. That’s why funding research into GBM is critical — and TBTC recognises that there’s an urgent need to find more effective treatments for this condition.

I've included below further information on two innovative GBM-specific research projects they've recently funded, for anyone looking to learn more about the work TBTC are doing to help find a cure.

Thanks for taking the time to read our Dad's story. Whether it's a small donation or simply sharing this page with others, we are incredibly grateful for any contribution you can make.

I'd like to give a special mention to my good friend Michael Lane, who I will also be remembering on the day.

Le grá mór,

Mike, Áine, Megan & Jamie

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Professor Maya Thanou, a specialist in pharmaceutical nanotechnology at King’s College London, has developed a medicinal vehicle called ‘ActNano’ which aims to transport and deliver multiple drugs to glioblastoma brain tumours. When this vehicle is combined with MRI guided focused ultrasound, targeted waves of energy briefly open the BBB around the tumour and break down the ActNano particles to release the drugs inside them. This means that they only act on the tumour without affecting healthy cells. The tiny drug carriers can also be seen on MRI scans, enabling clinicians to monitor treatment during routine imaging checkups. In the lab., Professor Thanou’s team will test how well ActNano works, how accurately it targets the tumour, and how safe it is. They’ll compare the effects of ActNano with current standard treatment: temozolomide chemotherapy and surgery, and they’ll evaluate how this technology works alongside those treatments. Next steps would be increasing the scale of manufacturing, completing quality tests, and planning early phase clinical trials.

Dr Michael Hudson and the team at Gordian Pharma Ltd are developing a new drug that could be used alongside existing treatments to help stop glioblastoma from growing back. The team identified a compound called MTL-004 which specifically binds to DNA, stopping it from being copied in treated cells and triggering controlled cell death. MTL-004 acts locally so has been shown not to cause the side-effects typically associated with traditional chemotherapy which circulates throughout the body. By applying MTL-004 in a paste directly to the area around the removed tumour following surgery, they hope to stop glioblastoma from recurring. It’s this regrowth which often causes current treatments to fail. The project we're funding will pave the way for clinical trials for this therapy.