Hayley and Amy take on Trek Sahara to help find brain tumour cure

Hayley, 47, and 23-year-old dog groomer daughter Amy are swapping the home comforts and greenery of Silsoe for steep sand dunes and extreme heat for a four-day trek across the Moroccan Sahara Desert beginning on Thursday 27 March at the end of Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

Their fundraiser in aid of Brain Tumour Research, is in memory of much-loved family member, George Fox from Barton-le-Clay who died of brain cancer in April 2022, aged 13.

Known affectionately as Gorgeous George, he was Hayley’s nephew. She said: “It’s coming up to the third anniversary of George’s death and I find it hard to fathom that he isn’t here. That there was no other treatment that could save him. That’s another reason me and Amy wanted to do the challenge, it felt like something we could do to help other families who might be facing a brain tumour diagnosis.”

The pair will carry a day bag weighing 4kg and by the end of the trip will have covered 50km, facing potential sandstorms, wild camping overnight where temperatures can drop to single digits in Celsius.

Hayley, who works in an office as a client success manager, said; “Although we love our walks, Amy and I aren’t the type of people to go camping normally. This will be a mega adventure for us. Quite unconventional to the skydive and marathon fundraisers we’re used to donating to, but it’s an extraordinary challenge we feel proud to be able to do.”

The family duo has raised almost £6,000 for the charity. They will be joined by 14 other walkers, whose lives have been affected by the disease, all trekking to help find a cure for all types of brain tumours.

Hayley added: “It will be wonderful to be around like-minded people who all have their own story of a brain tumour. You don’t understand the importance of a charity like Brain Tumour Research until you really need it.

“As tough as the challenge will be, we’ve seen the worst things you could ever imagine seeing how a brain tumour impacted George. The fact that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. There is still a disparity with just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. Our aim is to help bridge this gap and keep talking about the disease and sharing George’s legacy.”

Brain Tumour Awareness Month was launched in 2004 by a group of charities that went on to become founding members of Brain Tumour Research. The charity is marking its 15th anniversary with a month-long programme of events to highlight the devastation caused by the disease which kills more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

The month culminates with Wear A Hat Day, one of the UK’s biggest and best-loved brain tumour awareness and fundraising days on Friday 28 March.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the family of Gorgeous George for their continued support. The legacy of the teenager has raised vital awareness and a huge amount of fundraising. George’s story is a stark reminder that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. With the continued efforts of people like Hayley and Amy we will change outcomes for people diagnosed with this devastating disease. Good luck to all our challengers.”

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.

If you’ve been inspired to donate to Brain Tumour Research via Hayley and Amy’s Trek Sahara please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/hayley-firth-1708105135118