Brain Tumour Awareness Month brought thousands of supporters together throughout March as they took part in events, fundraised and helped us campaign for change.
Every day, 35 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour, yet, to date, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this.
Lighting a beacon of hope
The brain tumour community joined us on Sunday 1st March in lighting candles and posting on social media with #ShineALight in support of the one in three people who knows someone affected by a brain tumour.
Broadcasters Fearne Cotton and Piers Morgan, and singers Rick Astley and Joan Armatrading, lit candles to raise awareness. They were joined by stars of the sporting world who shared messages of hope, including boxer Frank Bruno MBE and our Ambassadors, rugby players Tom and Vicky Chapman, Olympian Sam Reardon and para-athlete Anthony Bryan.
Joan, Frank and Fearne
Buildings and landmarks around the nation lit up in our signature pink and yellow colours throughout March, highlighting the importance of our work and showing support to the more than 100,000 people who are estimated to be living with a brain tumour or the long-term impact of their diagnosis.
This year’s Light up the UK campaign included the iconic Blackpool Tower, Liverpool’s Royal Liver Building, Barry Island in Wales, Scotland’s Kirkcudbright MacLellan’s Castle and the University of Nottingham, home to our newly opened Centre of Excellence.
Cathy Marriott, from Hertfordshire, lost her brother Andy Jones to a glioblastoma in 2024. Before he passed away, the father-of-three and fitness instructor had raised more than £7,500 for the Charity, through cycling challenges, including taking on Land’s End to John o’ Groats virtually. Lighting up a local venue felt especially meaningful for Cathy as she arranged for Hoddesdon Clock Tower to be lit up in memory of Andy.
Hoddesdon Clock Tower, Blackpool Tower and MacLellan’s Castle
Campaigning for change in the corridors of power
We stepped up our campaigning across the UK, calling for urgent action at a host of events at Westminster, Holyrood and the Senedd. Our parliamentary event in Westminster, in collaboration with The Brain Tumour Charity, provided an opportunity to discuss the importance of investment in research and access to clinical trials in the UK. By sharing their challenging experiences of accessing treatment and clinical trials, patients and families affected emphasised to parliamentarians the impact of brain tumours and the urgent need for increased funding.
After losing her 13-year-old son George to an incurable glioblastoma in 2022, Louise Fox raised the common issue of needing to travel abroad for treatment and crowdfunding to pay for medical expenses, saying: “I don’t want any parent to go through what we have, but far too many children lose their life each year to this devastating disease. This cannot go on and I am determined that George’s legacy will be one of inspiring change.”
March also marked the momentous launches of our Manifestos for Wales and Scotland, demanding urgent action from the Welsh and Scottish Governments to transform outcomes for brain tumour patients in these nations.
Our Manifestos call for:
- Increase funding for research into brain tumours
- Increase access to local clinical trials
- End inequalities in access to innovative genomic testing technology
Charity Patron Theo Burrell, who was diagnosed with a glioblastoma in 2022, said: “Being diagnosed with a brain tumour is devastating enough, without finding out that patients in Scotland are being left behind in the hunt for new treatments. Options are running low for me, but I will keep fighting so that brain tumour patients now, and in the future, do not face injustice. The technology to make a difference is there –let's use it.”
Louise with Sir John Hayes MP and Theo
Changing lives with Wear A Hat Day
Our flagship fundraiser kicked off in star style this year, with the world’s oldest hat shop, Lock & Co., transforming itself for one day into Lock & Boe, inspired by our Patron, world-class tenor, Alfie Boe OBE. Fellow Patrons Danny Clarke and Sarah Beeny joined a host of celebrities and supporters as they toured designing rooms and learned about the dos and don’ts of hat styling.
And of course, hundreds of you wore your hats and held fundraising events to help change lives.
Trudy Carruthers from Gateshead backed Wear A Hat Day in memory of her mum, Valerie, who died in February 2024 after being diagnosed with four inoperable brain tumours. Hosting an event with live singers and a weird and wacky hat competition, Trudy said: “I told my mum she wouldn’t die in vain. In the first year after she passed, I had difficulty talking about her experience without becoming too upset. But now I feel ready. If I can raise awareness and help even one family avoid what we went through, then it’s worth it.”
Trudy with Valerie, Danny Clarke and Alfie Boe
Thank you to everyone who took part in Wear A Hat Day. There’s still time to help change lives by donating any amount you can give. Together we will find a cure.
Brain Tumour Awareness Month might be over, but our work to find a cure continues. To stay up to date with all the latest news, updates and ways you can get involved, subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter.
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