Nearly one hundred brain tumour scientists swapped their lab coats for charity t-shirts to join in with our latest challenge, 99 Miles in November, to help raise awareness of this disease that kills more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
An impressive crowd of 99 researchers clocked up 99 miles during a walk held as part of our Researcher Workshop in York on Monday 11th November.
Taking time out of their day jobs in the lab where they are dedicated to finding a cure for all types of brain tumours, the scientists took a moonlit one-mile tour of the historic city through the Memorial Gardens and along the River Ouse, to complete the challenge collectively.
Brain Tumour Research now funds and supports more than 100 researchers at our Centres of Excellence and Funded Initiatives cross the UK. Many of these were brought together at a two-day workshop to share knowledge and inspire more collaborative working to get us closer to cure.
Sanjana Ananth, a third year PhD student at our Research Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London, is fully-funded by Brain Tumour Research and is working on targeted therapies for glioblastoma (GBM). She said: “When you’re working in the lab, it can be easy to forget the bigger picture. But taking part in the 99 Miles event, and when we do lab tours with the Charity’s supporters, reminds you of why we are doing this work – for the families who desperately need us to find better treatments.”
Also fully-funded by us, third year PhD student Libby Williams, who is based at our Centre at the University of Plymouth, is trying to identify the cells that start meningioma tumours in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2. She said: “There’s no chance I could be here doing this work without the funding from Brain Tumour Research, it is absolutely essential.
“It was lovely to get out for a brisk walk as part of the 99 Miles challenge and feel like I was participating in something for a charity that means a lot to me, with all my colleagues and all these amazing people I’ve met at the workshop. It feels brilliant to be a part of it.”
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