The family of a much-adored man who died from a brain tumour are marking the anniversary of his death with a series of fundraising events to help find a cure for the disease.
Craig Ainslie, from Surrey, was diagnosed with an inoperable oligodendroglioma in 2001, after experiencing headaches and problems with his speech.
Chemotherapy had no effect and he developed complications during radiotherapy. Craig became paralysed and lost his ability to communicate. He died two years later, aged 35, leaving his wife Joanne, daughter Holly, then six, and son Alex, four.
Nicknamed The Ainslie Crew, members of Craig’s family are now coming together for a series of challenges and events to mark two decades without the beloved husband, father and brother, to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.
Their efforts begin today, with Craig’s twin brother Chris treating walkers on the Thwaites Estate, Warwickshire, to a mince pie and mulled wine stop along their route, in return for donations.
The Ainslie Crew’s efforts will culminate in a National Three Peaks Challenge in May 2024.
Chris, 55, said: “It’s outrageous that decades after my brother’s death, brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
“If Craig’s fighting spirit has taught me anything, it’s that we must make the most of every day. As a family, we want to make sure that other families don’t have to go through the same heartache that we did.”
To donate to Brain Tumour Research via the Ainslie Crew’s fundraising page, please visit: www.justgiving.com/page/ainsliecrew
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