NEWS
BRAIN TUMOUR SURVIVOR TAKES ON GREAT NORTH RUN
A businessman who survived a brain tumour will take part in the Great North Run , helping to fund research into the disease .
Chris Blastland , 41 , from Tonbridge , Kent , is running to raise money for the Brain Tumour Research charity . As a teenager , Chris underwent surgery to remove a lowgrade tumour . He is motivated by the fact that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer , yet just 1 % of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease .
Chris is also running in memory of his wife ’ s uncle , Mark Duffy . Despite having chemotherapy , radiotherapy and surgery , Mark died just 11 months after diagnosis with a glioblastoma multiforme ( GBM ) – a highly aggressive type of tumour – in February 2018 , aged 55 .
Chris , a sales director , said : “ Though I am looking forward to the Great North Run , completing the event will be emotional .
“ Losing Mark to a brain tumour was heartbreaking and it shocks me , even now , how quickly it all happened . What happened to Mark also opened my eyes to how prevalent the disease is and I want to somehow help change this . I count myself as one of the lucky ones to have survived this disease but I know more needs to be done to prevent others going through what happened to Mark .”
Chris will be among thousands of runners taking part in the annual Great North Run , the world ’ s biggest half marathon . This year ’ s event takes place on 9th September , with runners taking their marks in Newcastle city centre before setting off on the 13.1-mile course and finishing at the coast in South Shields .
A team of 42 will be taking part and raising money for Brain Tumour Research which funds dedicated UK Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and , ultimately , finding a cure .
Carol Robertson , head of community fundraising for Brain Tumour Research , said : “ We are extremely grateful for Chris ’ s support and wish him all the best for the event . Mark ’ s story reminds us all that less than 20 % of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50 % across all cancers . We cannot allow this situation to continue .”
To sponsor Chris , please go to www . justgiving . com / fundraising / chris-blastland4 155