The event was hosted by John Bercow MP, a long-standing patron of the charity, and Katie was joined by other supporters, as well as patients, celebrities and MPs.
Brain Tumour Research was formed on 28 April 2009, when 14 brain tumour charities came together with a mission to raise awareness and increase funding for vital research. The charity also launched its 2025 manifesto at the House of Commons and states:
‘The next decade is set to see huge advances in our quest to improve outcomes for patients and their families – please stay with us as we seek to grow capacity, build infrastructure, accelerate treatments and increase national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2025’.
Katie is a member of the five-strong CooperBurnett team which is embarking on the epic challenge of cycling from London to Paris in just 24 hours (which sets off on Saturday 4 May). The team is raising money for the charity Brain Tumour Research in memory of Oli Hilsdon, Katie’s cousin. He died in January this year, aged just 26, from an aggressive and incurable brain tumour.
Katie says of her evening at the House of Commons: “It was such an inspirational evening. John Bercow opened the speeches and was followed by representatives from the charity, as well as a leading clinician (neuro oncologist) campaigning for more funding into research for treatments of brain tumours. The speeches were concluded by Caprice Bourret [the businesswoman and model] who gave a very emotional talk about her personal experience of having a brain tumour.”
Katie continues: “Leading surgeons were there and the heads of each of the four centres of excellence that Brain Tumour Research has managed to open over the last 10 years. I had the opportunity to speak to one of the researchers and some of the trustees of Brain Tumour Research and also a member charity to find out how the funds are being used. The evening proved to be the perfect motivation for the cycle this weekend!”
Please do get behind the team and sponsor them. Every pound raised will be match funded by CooperBurnett and will go towards the vital work being carried out by Brain Tumour
Research: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cooperburnettlondontoparis
