Mum's appeal for Marathon runners

The charity is asking people who have secured a place in next year’s Virgin Money London Marathon to consider raising money for its cause.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer but research into brain tumours has been allocated just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research.

Vicky Pudney’s son, Charlie, was just seven when he was diagnosed with an ependymoma brain tumour last year.

The tumour was successfully removed but, as there was a high chance of regrowth, Charlie and his family travelled to the USA for nine weeks of proton beam therapy (PBT), which is not yet available in the UK.

Charlie is now back enjoying life to the full, including attending Bishop Wood Junior School and his beloved football. He has to undergo three-monthly MRI scans to check there is no tumour regrowth.

Vicky, who ran this year’s London Marathon for Brain Tumour Research, said: “I wanted to help fund research so that other people with the same diagnosis have a better chance of survival, as well as to celebrate the end of Charlie’s treatment.

“Brain tumours can affect anyone at any time but no-one knows what causes them.

“Treatments for patients like Charlie are very limited (and we were so lucky that the NHS agreed to fund his PBT).

“I hope that people will help us change this by running the 2017 marathon for Brain Tumour Research.”

To find out more, see www.braintumourresearch.org