Following the tragic loss of Corby’s Cat Anderson, aged 38, to a brain tumour last year, eight members of her extended family will be taking on the Uventure Run at Cranford Hall, Kettering, on Saturday 14th July to help find a cure for the devastating disease.
Cat’s cousin, Kirsten Montgomery, 27, from Corby, will be taking part, along with her partner Anthony Hipkiss and their daughters Lois, nine, and Leila, seven, who both attend Exeter Academy in the town, along with Rob Saunderson, who is married to Cat’s cousin Charlene, and their son Aidan, 10, a pupil at St Brendan’s Catholic School. Also taking on the challenge is Cat’s nephew, Joe, eight, who goes to Hawthorn Junior School in Kettering and is the son of Cat’s sister Lainy. Joe will be accompanied in the run by another Corby cousin, 19-year-old Shannon Montgomery.
The demanding Uventure junior race will see participants run, jump, crawl and wade over different types of obstacles, including an 84ft long slide, while covering a distance of 3.5K.
Kirsten said: “I always looked up to Cat. She would often take care of me when I was little and I particularly remember enjoying the times she took me swimming.
“We have never done anything like this before, but Lois came up with the idea as an opportunity to do something which was challenging, yet fun, to raise funds for a good cause. After the race we are coming back to a big barbecue with all the families involved in the Uventure, as well as Cat’s mum, dad and sisters too. It will be lovely to get everyone together, although we will be very conscious that Cat is missing – she was such a larger-than-life, fun person.”
Cat, who lived in Corby until she moved to Uppingham not long before she became ill, and her parents Rab and Margo Anderson, who live in Kettering, set up Cat in a Hat, a fundraising group under the umbrella of the national Brain Tumour Research charity, after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
They were shocked to discover that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer... yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Rab said: “Cat was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour in 2014, but by the end of the same year it had already become aggressive. Throughout her brain tumour journey, Cat remained upbeat and incredibly positive, always laughing and joking.
“It was only a couple of weeks ago on 14th June that we had to face the agony of the first anniversary of Cat’s passing.
“We are so touched that many of our nieces and nephews and their children, and many other members of our family continue to want to help to keep Cat’s memory and legacy alive. It always surprises me when the junior members of the family come up with these great ideas for little fundraisers. Family is important to us and it was very important to Cat too. She loved her cousins and we look forward to having a great day with them.”
Carol Robertson, Head of Community Fundraising for the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer. Experiences like Cat’s remind us all that we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. We are extremely grateful to Kirsten, Anthony, Lois, Leila, Rob, Aidan, Charlene and Joe for their support. Together we will find a cure.”
To make a donation to the Brain Tumour Research charity in memory of Cat go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/catinahat1
For further information, please contact:
Liz Fussey at Brain Tumour Research on 07811 068357 or liz@braintumourresearch.org
Notes to Editors
Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours. We have established a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, over £6 million was raised towards research and support during 2017.
We are campaigning to see the national spend on research into brain tumours increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast cancer and leukaemia. The unprecedented success of our 2015 petition led to the 2016 Westminster Hall debate and Brain Tumour Research taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research with the report being published in 2018.
Key statistics on brain tumours:
- Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
- They kill more children than leukaemia
- They kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer
- They kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
- Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease
- In the UK, 16,000 people each year in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour
- Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
- Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
- Incidences of and deaths from brain tumours are increasing
Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. Additional facts and statistics are available from our website including our latest Report on National Research Funding. We can also provide case-studies and research expertise for media.