The Vice-Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, Professor Sir David Greenaway, together with Professor David Walker, former SIOPE Board member and Co-Director of The University of Nottingham’s Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, are cycling 1400 miles to the 4 corners of Great Britain to raise awareness and funding for research for children’s brain tumours, during the LifeCycle 4 ride.
Professor David Walker comments:'The centre was initiated in 1997 at a time when awareness of the problems for children with these conditions was at a very low level. The past 17 years has seen a sustained effort to conduct research and translate its results into clinical practice: leading to cure rates rising by nearly 20%. However brain tumours remain the leading cause of cancer deaths in children so the challenge to offer every child a more hopeful future remains'.
The team of 15 volunteers will set off on 14th August, and has already raised more than £500,000 towards their £750,000 target. Each of the riders is honouring a young patient who has battled the disease and has been treated at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre. Sam White was certainly the inspiration for the ride, and the Vice-Chancellor is personally riding in his honour. Sam has also been very good in advocating favourable changes at the European level (see the SIOPE Newsletter article 'How a local boy with cancer helped to change European law').
Sir David said: 'I am riding in honour of a remarkable young man, Sam White, who sadly lost his life to a brain tumour. I am thrilled that so many have joined in creating a fitting legacy for him and the other families who are battling this terrible disease. I hope their bravery will inspire further support to help us meet our ambitious target and give the children who suffer a brain tumour the very best chance of successful treatment'.
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