A brain tumour patient has rallied family and friends to accompany him on a 140-mile bike ride from Kelso to Tynemouth to fund vital research into the disease.
Mick Dreyer, aged 46, was diagnosed with a brain tumour three months ago and is no longer able to work as a regional business development manager at Park Electrical in Sunderland. He has undergone surgery and will start radiotherapy in July.
Mick, from Sunderland, said: “I organised the Coast and Castles bike ride to give myself, friends and family a fun challenge to look forward to. Fortunately, everyone was really supportive and the doctors even allowed me to take part in some of the ride. The ride was a great success. We have already raised over £1,000 and want to continue to raise more to help fund research into this disease that has been so poorly neglected for too long.”
The money raised from the bike ride will help the Brain Tumour Research charity in their mission to build a network of experts in sustainable research. The charity is funding dedicated UK Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure. Eleven of Mick’s friends and family took part, including Barry Philliskirk, aged 47, a work colleague.
Barry said: “It was an honour to take part in this event as I wanted to help Mick and others like him who are living with a brain tumour. It is a cause close to the hearts of everyone involved in the bike ride.”
Lyssa Barnes, a family member, also supported Mick’s fundraising efforts through her company’s match funding scheme.
Carol Robertson, Head of Community Fundraising at the Brain Tumour Research charity, said: “We really appreciate Mick and his friends and family’s support. For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and stories like Mick’s remind us all that we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Sadly, less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.”
To donate to the team’s Just Giving page visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/barry-philliskirk.
For further information, please contact:
Annie Slinn at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867239 or 07591 206545 or annie.slinn@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 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.