Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am doing a 2-day 100km walk along the Thames Path to raise money for the Astro Brain Tumour Fund (ABTF).

The mission of the charity is to fund low-grade glioma research projects, and to provide a focus for the low-grade glioma community by offering a source of information, inspiration, connections and hope. It is the only charity in the UK which raises funds specifically for research into low grade gliomas.

The brain contains about 40 billion nerve cells, known as neurons, which are held in place and supported by glial cells. Glioma is a general name for tumours that develop from these glial cells, the supportive tissue of the brain.

ABTF is currently funding several important research projects, including one which aims to better understand how the neurometabolic microenvironment affects the inevitable progression of gliomas from low to high-grade.

Most recently, the charity agreed to support a 3-year research project headed by Dr Sophie Morse at Imperial College London looking at innovative, kinder methods to deliver promising drugs to treat different types of LGGs effectively.

Government spending into brain tumour research actually decreased in 2023/24. In addition, of the overall National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) spend on cancer research in the same period, only 1.6% was spent on brain cancer research. So, independent fundraising is particularly important.

Your support for this vital work would mean the world to me, and would help to make a difference.

Philippa