Nursery hosts spooktacular event to help find brain tumour cure

More than 75 families joined the frightening festivities at Ryehills Farm Day Nursery in Northampton on Saturday (26 October). Toddlers and children up to age four, donned their best costumes in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

Families were treated to face painting, arts and crafts, mini golf, hook-a-duck and many more activities, ending with a fireworks display.

The event forms part of a year-long commitment between the nursery group and charity, inspired by two families who have been affected by the devastating disease.

Kirsty Balcombe, 39, administration manager at Climbing High Nurseries which owns four nursery venues, said: “We do a Halloween event every year. It’s always fun with themed activities and lots of people dressing up. This year was a great way to bring families together from across all our venues and help raise awareness of brain tumours.”

So far, more than £1,400 has been raised for the charity. In July, they held a yellow-themed dress down day in memory of a Flore mother of two who died of a glioblastoma (GBM) just months before. She was 37 and left behind two sons, aged five and one.

Kirsty added: “We were upset to lose a member of our community to a brain tumour, and we have since learned of another mum who has been diagnosed with the disease.

“We didn’t know much about brain tumours; however, we have since learned that they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. We’ve seen this disease tear apart a young family. The hope of our fundraising is that the money raised will work at finding a cure for this disease to keep families together.”

One in three people knows someone affected by a brain tumour, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re saddened to learn the devastating impact brain tumours have had on these families. We’re determined to change this but it’s only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure. We’re grateful to everyone at Climbing High Nurseries for their support. We look forward to seeing what other exciting fundraising initiatives they come up with this year.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.

To find out how you can donate or get involved with a fundraising challenge in aid of Brain Tumour Research, please visit: braintumourresearch.org/collections/events