Thanks to Susan for this news about Charlotte’s marathon challenge. If you’d like to support her, details at the bottom of the article. Ed
A woman who lost both her parents to brain tumours is lacing up her running shoes to raise funds for medical research.
Charlotte Venables, 41, from Gurnard, Isle of Wight, will be fundraising for the charity Brain Tumour Research when she takes part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 11th October.
The mum-of-two lost her father Mike Parry to a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumour at the age of 56. For many years Mike ran independent wine merchants Les Caves du Patron in Stoneygate, Leicestershire.
Sixteen years later Charlotte’s mother Jenny Parry, who originated from South Luffenham, Rutland, and spent her last years in Shoreham–by-Sea, West Sussex, was also diagnosed with the same tumour type. Having seen her husband’s suffering, Jenny decided against invasive treatment and passed away in February 2014 at the age of 67.
“It was worse second time round”
Charlotte said:
“Having lost our dad to a GBM brain tumour we could never have imagined that mum’s diagnosis, albeit years later, would be exactly the same. We knew straight away what it entailed. Mum was adamant she wasn’t going to go through surgery and suffer like dad had. She just wanted to spend quality time with her friends and family rather than on trips to the hospital when she knew there was no chance of a cure.
“For us it was worse second time round as we knew what lay ahead.”
Charlotte’s half marathon challenge will take her on a 13.1 mile route through Central London and the beautiful Royal Parks. The funds she raises will help fund vital research at a network of Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence, two in London, one in Plymouth and the other in Portsmouth.
Family affair
Together with husband Paul, Charlotte is the founder of Island restaurant and hotel business Lugleys, which they sold four years ago.
Paul will be supporting her in the challenge along with their two children, Lily 14, and Reuben, nine. Charlotte’s sister Justina Parry, 38, is helping to drive the fundraising effort.
Professor Geoff Pilkington, also a resident on the Island, directs the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Portsmouth and lost his own mother to a brain tumour just eight years into his brain tumour research career.
He said:
“I know from my own experience the pain of losing a parent to this devastating disease. Any brain tumour diagnosis brings with it a dreadful burden for the patient and their family and to lose both parents is particularly tragic. We don’t know what causes brain tumours but we do know they are indiscriminate and that is why we are committed to learning more as we work towards a cure.”
Support for vital research
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 is allocated to this devastating disease.
Brain Tumour Research, which opened its fourth centre in partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust last week, is 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.
Donations can be made via Charlotte’s Just Giving page
Find out more about Brain Tumour Research.
