An Oldham family is going the distance to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity after they received a devastating diagnosis.
Alison O’Donnell has been the driving force behind a series of fundraising events for the charity after her father Michael was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2019.
Two years on and Michael’s condition is now an incurable one. The underfunding into the disease is Alison’s motivation to fundraise for The Brain Tumour Charity. With over £500 million spent on cancer research in the UK every year, only 2% is spent on research into brain tumours.
The family have raised an outstanding £4,650 so far. Alison climbed Mount Snowdon and her husband, Ryan, tackled the Three Peaks Challenge.
She added: “I am not much of a walker so the climb up Mount Snowdon was physically and mentally challenging. The support from all of my friends and family – and the thought of what my dad is currently going through at the moment – spurred me on and got me to the top.”
Alison’s sister-in-law Emma and her friend Sam completed a 50-mile sponsored walk, and their friend Conor ran 200k throughout May to raise a total of £680.
Every donation counts and will be integral to supporting the charity, who are the largest dedicated global funder of brain tumour research.
Alison added: “Now we know that Dad is incurable, we’re living each day the best that we can. It is difficult, especially because of Covid, as we would like to be doing a lot more. Dad is also in pain, can get tired quickly and can only walk with a Zimmer frame. It’s just heart-breaking to watch.
“Dad is the head of our family, and he is our strength. Now it is time for all of us to be his strength instead. He has been there and done everything he can throughout our lives for us and now we’re looking after him.
“It is the hardest thing in the world to see someone you love so much go through absolute hell, not once but twice. To think you have beaten something and then for it to come crashing down even harder is the most terrible pain I have ever experienced. We are a very close family and that closeness is what keeps us going.”
To donate, go to https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/donate/.
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