You probably won't know this, but I lost my father back in 1992 to a brain tumour. He was just 52 and I remember at the time everyone saying how young he was, but when you're 21, that seemed quite old. Now I'm only 6 years away from that age myself, I understand it. I've been running the London Marathon "next year" since then, but funnily enough have always found an excuse not to. Mainly down to the fact I get out of breath running a bath. I won't bore you with sob-stories about my dodgy hips or arthritic toes, I'm doing it before I get too old, it's now or never and training has (sort of) begun

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. I'm not sure about you, but I seem to be hearing about so many more cases of brain tumours in recent years. I lost another gorgeous friend, actress Rebekah Gibbs two years ago to a brain tumour and unfortunately know three people currently fighting one. If you use a mobile phone and hold it to your ear for long periods, you should be concerned about it. On the positive side I also know of about half a dozen folks who've had successful operations to remove one. BUT, whilst survival rates for other cancers like breast cancer improve, people dying from brain cancer increased by 10% last year

Braintumourresearch.org are striving to fund a network of seven dedicated research centres whilst challenging the government and larger cancer charities to invest more in brain tumour research. Help us fund the fight. Together we will find a cure.