The Brothers of Charity Services in Merseyside took part in Bandanas for Brain Tumours day for the Brain Tumour Charity on the 5th March; this is a cause, which is close to the heart of many people working for, and supported by the Brothers of Charity Services.
Jennie Smith and Lee McClure organised the events throughout the day, which included a sponsored walk and a cake sale.
Jennie said, “The reason for holding the event is because it is something I have had to experience in my life and without the help and support I have received I would not have been able to get through the traumatic situation, so it is a charity that is dear to my heart. Thank you all for your support in this event.”
The men’s group, which takes place every Thursday at Thingwall Hall, took part in a 3 mile sponsored walk around Newsham Park during the morning. This was a challenge to some of the members of the men’s group, but the great cause and team spirit got everyone to the finish line. Everybody completed the sponsored walk in time to go back to Thingwall Hall for the cake sale.
Jennie, Lynn Smith and Antonia Elverson ran the cake sale with delicious cakes that they had spent the evening before baking these went down a treat with everyone that attended!
The Blue Watch fire fighters from the Old Swan Community Fire Station also came to support the cake sale and joined in with some of the activities during the day. They won the Guess the Weight of the Cake competition, which was Antonia’s speciality, a chocolate fudge cake – the prize fund they won was donated straight back to the charity.
Through holding these activities, Jennie and Lee wanted to raise awareness of this awful disease and the great work that the Brain Tumour Charity does. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killers of children and adults over 40, the Bandanas for Brain Tumours mission is to raise funds to accelerate the pace of ground-breaking research that can save lives now.
Jennie said “Together, we raised £396.70 from this event and £103.56 from another event at Fitness For All in Liverpool, making £500.26 in total! Thank you to everyone who helped to organise and took part in the events.
“We would like to give a special thank you to Lynn, Antonia, Debbie Parkinson, The Men’s Group, Bev Baker, Claire Ross, Poppy Gallagher, Mark Higham, Darren Orme, Pat Connoly, Bill Gildea, John Gill, Barry Clayton and Blue Watch (Old Swan Fire) for making this event a great success and a thanks to everyone who also donated cakes from Liverpool area, a local Baker, Tesco (Old Swan) and the Bakery on Townsend Lane.
“I will be organising other events later this year, one of which is a challenge to climb Snowdon”.
Bandanas for Brain Tumours day is an annual event and took place this year on the 6th March, click here to download an information pack, and click here for The Brain Tumours Charity’s website.
E-petition
The Brain Tumour Charity has recently launched an e-petition on access to medicines just launched, calling on the Government to ensure that innovative therapies get to brain tumour patients faster.
The e-petition focuses on the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) and adaptive pathways. The EAMS could help to move towards precision medicines to treat the rarest conditions where patients are willing to take higher risks with experimental drugs and there are no viable treatment options. The adaptive pathways approach would license drugs earlier than currently happens, while continuing to assess the effects of the drug after the licence has been granted.
The Brain Tumour Charity is committed to doubling the survival for brain tumour patients within 10 years. To achieve this goal, we have to take action now. The aim is to gather 10,000 signatures to get a formal response from the Department of Health.
Please sign the e-petition now and help to make real change happen:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/74463
