“Team Scheck” will be racing again on Tuesday, 20th June at the MotorMouth charity go kart race in aid of the Brain Tumour Trust in memory of Ila.

Our elder daughter, Ila, was diagnosed with a grade 2 brain tumour completely out of the blue following her first-ever seizure. She was 19 and four days away from starting Fresher’s Week at uni. A month later she underwent major brain surgery; the surgeons could only remove 95% - she would have been permanently paralysed down her left side if they had risked any more. As a pre-advised consequence of the surgery, she temporarily lost the use of her left arm and hand. The brain is remarkable and she regained full use of it after a few months.

Ila was informed that her type of tumour would keep growing back and she would have to undergo further brain surgery, radiation and chemo within five years. Ila was told she had a life expectancy of 42 years. Devastating news for any teenager. She had to have an MRI every six months to check on the progress of the remaining tumour; she was naturally terrified of the MRIs and the results they could bring. Ila showed so much bravery and incredibly, even her “tumour humour” throughout her ordeal.

Ila tragically died, aged 21, as a result of trying to control her increasing seizures, caused by the brain tumour, by self-medicating her epilepsy medicines; a lot of seizure meds are addictive and, for her, despite taking increasing doses, they stopped being effective. Ila died from an accidental overdose the night before she was going into detox to help manage her medicines and reduce her dependency.

As we discovered, brain tumours can happen at any time and to a young person who appears to be completely healthy up until the moment of diagnosis. Research into better treatments and hopefully a cure – is desperately needed. Any support you can give for the Brain Tumour Trust would be wonderful. Many thanks from the Scheckter Family

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally.