Rothwell runners pass £16,000 fundraising mark for Brain Tumour Research charity in memory of friends and family affected by the disease

A couple who have both been affected by loved ones suffering brain tumours are sponsoring research to help find a cure for the devastating disease.

Rothwell greengrocers Cherise Gould and Sean Connolly have between them raised more than £16,000 for charity Brain Tumour Research after family and friends became ill.

Cherise’s twin sister Danielle was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour in 2012. Four years later, Sean lost his friend Alan Mills to a brain tumour.

Spurred on by their experiences the couple have used their love of running and social activities to boost their charitable giving.

Sean said: “Alan used to come into the shop with his dog to buy his weekly fruit and veg. We got talking about pomegranates after his doctor had recommended their health benefits. That’s when he told me about his brain tumour. He was such a nice man and it was great that I got to know him and his family.

“Over the years since Alan died, I have done my best to help raise greater awareness of the enormous underfunding of research into brain tumours while fundraising for Brain Tumour Research.”

Cherise’s sister Danielle had surgery to remove her tumour in March 2012 at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Two months later, the tumour was found to be growing again, so Danielle had more surgery and later a ventricular peritoneal shunt fitted which she will have for the rest of her life.

Both avid runners, Cherise has taken on challenges including The Great South Run, the London Marathon and the London Landmarks half, while Sean’s running has included the London Landmarks half, The Great North Run, the London Marathon, the Brighton Marathon and the 35-mile Kinder Scout ultra-marathon in 2021 - the year when he notched up a running total of 2,021 miles.

The couple have also hosted fundraising evenings and raised funds through trekking to Everest Base Camp last year – they are planning to climb Kilimanjaro later this year.

Last week Cherise and Sean were invited by Brain Tumour Research to its dedicated Centre of Excellence at Imperial College where they met principal investigators and spoke to scientists about their work to find a cure for the disease. Sean and Cherise placed five tiles the Wall of Hope to represent the £2,740 it costs to fund a day of research.

Only 12 per cent of brain tumour patients survive beyond five years of their diagnosis whereas over 70 per cent of breast cancer and over 40 per cent of leukaemia patients survive beyond five years.

Cherise said: “Before Danielle was diagnosed, we knew nothing about brain tumours. Whilst she continues to do well, we now know that treatments for brain tumour patients have barely changed for decades and the chances of surviving beyond five years is low. We are doing our best to raise awareness and funds to make a difference.

“We also placed a tile in memory of Danielle’s lovely friend Clare Rode who passed away from an inoperable brain tumour in 2018 – she met Clare back in 2012 in hospital.

“It was heartening to hear from the researchers at Imperial that breakthroughs are being made in the quest to find a cure.”