Student Marketing Manager, Sophie Oldacres, from the Department of Marketing & Communications is gearing up to cycle over 200km next weekend as part of a mammoth fundraising effort to raise money for Brain Tumour Research in memory of her late husband, Simon.
Over two days next weekend, Sophie and a 20-strong peloton of Simon’s family, close friends and work colleagues from local engineering firm Renishaw will cycle from his hometown of Solihull back to the family home in Chippenham.
In 2013, Simon was diagnosed with the aggressive and incurable brain cancer glioblastoma. He died, aged just 37, last December 2016.
Leading cause of death in children and adults under 40
Brain tumours like Simon’s are in fact the leading cause of death in children and adults under 40, yet, despite this, brain tumour research receives less than 1% of national cancer funding. Sophie and the team are cycling to raise money to fund vital research.
As Sophie explained: “Simon was a keen cyclist, and post-diagnosis in 2013, a good cycle was his equivalent to counselling. He rode to many of his appointments at the BRI in Bristol from Chippenham, which was always recorded in the oncologist’s notes because it was so unusual.
“Friends and I wanted to do something in Simon’s memory that had the potential to make a genuine difference so that, one day, there might be a real hope for others facing this diagnosis.
“And whilst Simon was a regular and able cyclist, this is a genuine challenge for me! Please help spur me on over some of those challenging hills and make the 210km worthwhile by donating to fund vital brain tumour research.”
Fundraising for vital research
Sophie will be cheered on by her young children Joseph (8) and Esther (5). She has already raised over £5,800 – enough to fund more than two days of research at a UK centre of excellence for brain tumour research – and hopes to raise much more.
Read more about Sophie’s remarkable challenge, get behind her efforts and help power the team back to Chippenham by pledging and sharing online: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/simon-oldacres-cycle .