On 10th June this year, after experiencing no prior symptoms, I collapsed at home with what felt to me like a stroke. A week later I was diagnosed with a fast growing glioblastoma brain tumour carrying with it an average life expectancy of 12-18 months with treatment.

Without treatment - just six months.

Three or four months earlier, if my brain had been scanned, there would have been nothing to detect.

WIth the fantastic support of family and friends I have come through the first stage of the standard treatment, comprising surgery to remove some of the tumour, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and I am feeling strong and positive.

On 19th October 2024, just before I start the next phase of chemotherapy, I plan to walk with some of those family and friends 16 miles along the river Medway from Maidstone to Tonbridge. I will be carrying the match ball for the Tonbridge Juddians RFC game against Canterbury that afternoon.

Very little is known about what causes these tumours and research is deperately needed to work out why they start to grow, how to better treat them to extend life and ultimately to find a cure.

The initial target of £3000 represents the number of people diagnosed each year in the UK with this rare cancer with less than 25% surviving beyond a year.

Your money will go directly to The Brain Tumour Charity and will go a long way to ensuring those 3000 don't get such a devastating prognosis in the future.

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. Committed to saving and improving lives, we're moving further, faster to help every single person affected by a brain tumour.

We're set on finding new treatments, offering the highest level of support and driving urgent change. And we're doing it right now. Because we understand that when you, or someone you love, is diagnosed with a brain tumour a cure really can't wait.