Employees of a London firm have chosen Brain Tumour Research as their charity of the year in support of a bereaved colleague.
Lee Davies, who looks after marketing and data science for Skylight IPV, put the charity forward following the death of his mum to brain cancer.
Lesley Davies, a retired nurse from Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) in October 2014 after suffering a seizure.
The mum-of-two, who was also a grandmother, underwent surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy but a scan in 2016 revealed she had developed another, inoperable tumour. She underwent further treatment, but her health continued to decline and she passed away in February 2018, aged 62.
Skylight IPV's UK-based staff are busy planning their first fundraiser, which will take place during Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March.
The 14-strong team will virtually climb the height of Mount Everest, 8,849 metres, using the internal stairway in their office building. This will require them to complete a combined total of 527 trips from the ground to the fifth floor.
Lee said: "We're hoping to get the challenge done by Thursday 28th March, just in time for Wear A Hat Day, which we'll also be supporting.”
Staff have set themselves the target of raising a minimum £2,740, which is enough to sponsor a day of research at any of the four Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence.
He said: "The treatments Mammy had were brutal and watching her deterioration was heart-wrenching. It tears us apart that there was nothing we could do to make her feel better.
“As well as raising vital funds for the charity, I'm hoping our support will shine a spotlight on brain tumours and help to raise awareness of the disease. I'm really pleased my company and colleagues are getting behind it."
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