Lincolnshire councillor cycles more than 1,000 miles in memory of brain tumour son

Oliver Timberlake 2 min read

A councillor from Boston, Lincolnshire, is cycling more than 1,200 miles from the Czech Republic to the UK in memory of her son who died from a brain tumour last year.

Magdalena Cullen, 49, is taking on the solo 21-day challenge from Ratiskovice, the village where she grew up, to her home in Boston, to raise vital funds for Brain Tumour Research. She is taking the trip in memory of her son, Joshua, who was just 27 when he died, nearly four years after being diagnosed with a glioblastoma.

Josh was diagnosed on Christmas Eve and went on to undergo surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in a bid to prolong his life. Sadly, his courageous fight ended on 8ᵗʰ October 2024, when he died with Maggie by his side.

Maggie said: “Joshua never complained, not once in almost four years of treatment. I used to ask him, ‘Aren’t you angry? Don’t you feel this is unfair?’ But he always said, ‘What’s the point? It won’t help anything.’

“He faced every scan, every hospital visit, every round of chemo with bravery and calm. He loved life, and he lived it right up to the end. I’ve never been prouder of anyone. I don’t think I could’ve done what he did.”

She first attempted the journey in 2023 but had to abandon it just outside Dunkirk after a crash left her injured and unable to continue. More determined than ever, she set off again on 4th June. With the aim to complete her journey in three weeks, Magdalena has self-financed the excursion, so all funds raised go towards research. She concluded: “This ride is for Josh, but it’s also for everyone who hears those awful words: ‘You have a brain tumour’.”

You can donate to Brain Tumour Research through Magdalena’s JustGiving page and help us find a cure.

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Oliver Timberlake, Content Editor
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