Charity founder's ceaseless fight for brain tumour cure

Sue Farrington Smith MBE, who lost her niece Alison Phelan to a brain tumour just a few weeks before her eighth birthday, held a Walk of Hope at her home at Padbury Hill Farm. Brain Tumour Research, now operating from offices in Milton Keynes, was originally launched 15 years ago on her farm.

Walkers gathered at 9.30am on Saturday, 28 September and were fuelled with bacon butties before stepping out on a loop around the farm, passing fields of sheep and horses, as well as a pond teaming with ducks, finally arriving back for coffee and cake and good chats.

Brain tumour survivor Maria Pata from Buckingham was among the participants, along with her husband Anthony Dickinson and youngest son Endika. Maria, who runs her own coaching business, was diagnosed with a meningioma in 2010, when her eldest son Gaizka was just three. She underwent surgery to remove a tangerine-sized tumour and feels very lucky to have had stable scans ever since.

Maria said: “I’m grateful that I have been so lucky, especially when I read the grim brain tumour survival statistics.”

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 the devastating disease since records began in 2002.

Walk of Hope is the charity’s annual national event raising money to bring hope to brain tumour patients and their families. Every September, thousands of supporters join in Walk of Hope events or organise their own walks in their community.

On Saturday, 28 September, 2024, the charity hosted five Walks across the UK. Sadly, the sixth Walk of Hope in Luton, inspired by Amani Liaquat who died aged 23 from a glioblastoma in 2022, has had to be postponed until Saturday, 19 October due to the recent flooding.

Since her retirement, Sue Farrington Smith has raised more than £8,800 – enough to sponsor three days of research in the quest to improve brain tumour patient outcomes. Her incredible fundraising achievement has come about through asking for donations in lieu of retirement gifts, taking part in last November’s 100 a Day challenge and Wear A Christmas Hat Day, selling Christmas cards and posting hat photos every day throughout March – Brain Tumour Awareness Month, as well as hosting a Wear A Hat Day lunch, before organising the Padbury Walk of Hope last weekend.

Sue, now vice chair of the charity’s Board of Trustees, said: “It was great that the sun came out for our Walk of Hope – even after all the rain and flooding in the days leading up to it. We had such a lovely morning together with friends – all enjoying being out in the fresh air, walking to support such a worthwhile cause.

“I was thrilled that participants and sponsors helped to add another £385 to my fundraising page! My current goal is to raise another £2,160 to place a tile at our Centre of Excellence at Imperial College, London, making four days of research sponsored since I retired.”

Dan Knowles, CEO at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Sue’s continued dedication to bringing forward the day that a cure is found is so humbling, especially after all she has done to make Brain Tumour Research such a successful charity and after going through her own encounter with cancer.

“Her example inspires us all every day to work ever harder to achieve her dream of improving outcomes for patients and finding a cure for all types of brain tumour”

To donate to Sue’s fundraising visit www.justgiving.com/page/sue-farrington-smith-1682453902610