Rafe, a student from York is preparing to run the length of Britain, raising vital funds for a charity working to find a cure for the brain cancer that killed his father. Rafe is Clair’s son, founder of Cause and Effect PR.
Rafe Colman-Chadwick, 20, a Politics and Social Policy student at the University of York, is set to take on an extraordinary 874-mile challenge from John o’ Groats to Land’s End. He is fundraising for Brain Tumour Research in memory of his dad, Damian Colman, who died from a glioblastoma in September 2018 at the age of 48. Rafe has already raised more than £10,000 for the charity and hopes to raise even more through this latest challenge.
Rafe said: “I’ve never really spoken publicly about losing my dad before but doing my first marathon changed that. The support I got from people was incredible, and it made me realise how many people care about this cause.
“This challenge is on a completely different scale. It’s going to take months of training and a lot of discipline, but I’ve got a clear reason for doing it. Every mile I run is for my dad and for everyone affected by brain tumours.
“I’ve had to sacrifice a lot, especially socially at uni, but it’s worth it. This is something I really believe in, and I want to push myself as far as I can.”
Damian first began experiencing symptoms in 2016 after suffering a seizure. He was later diagnosed with a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable type of brain cancer, at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Over the following two years, he underwent two brain surgeries to remove the tumour, alongside radiotherapy at Leeds and chemotherapy tablets taken at home.
Despite the challenges of his diagnosis, Damian remained determined to live life fully and support those around him. A theatre director, he dedicated much of his career to working with people experiencing homelessness, helping them build confidence through acting and performance.
Rafe added: “Dad was one of those people who left a huge impression on everyone he met. He was incredibly intelligent, creative and thoughtful, but also someone who could make people laugh so easily.
“Even when he was ill, he didn’t let it define him. He just got on with life and made the most of the time he had. That’s something that’s always stayed with me.
“He wrote a book for me during his illness, which I didn’t read until I turned 18. It completely changed how I see life. It made me realise how important it is to stay positive and take opportunities when you can.”
Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer. Yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Rafe said: “It’s shocking how underfunded research into brain tumours is, especially when you see how many people are affected. When my dad was diagnosed, it felt like there were so few options. That’s why funding research is so important. It’s the only way things are going to change.
“If taking on this challenge helps raise awareness and brings in funding that could improve treatments in the future, then it’s the least I can do.”
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said:
“Rafe’s determination to take on such an extraordinary challenge in memory of his dad is truly inspiring. Running the length of Britain is an incredible physical and mental feat, and his commitment to raising funds for research is remarkable.
“Brain tumours remain one of the most underfunded areas of cancer research, and it’s only through the dedication of supporters like Rafe that we can continue to drive progress. Every pound raised brings us closer to finding a cure and improving outcomes for patients and their families.”
To support Rafe’s fundraising challenge go to, https://www.justgiving.com/page/runuk?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL
Clair, Rafe’s mum said, “I am so proud of Rafe, his focus and determination is making a huge difference. His dad would be very proud.”
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.
For further information, please contact:
Amin Choudhury at Brain Tumour Research on +44 7885 455 970 or amin.choudhury@braintumourresearch.org
About Brain Tumours
One in three people in the UK knows someone affected by a brain tumour. This disease is indiscriminate; it can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, to date, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.
Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this.
A powerful campaigning organisation, Brain Tumour Research is the leading voice of the brain tumour community. Unique and much needed, it is the only national charity focused on finding a cure for all types of brain tumours. The charity is campaigning to increase the national investment in research into brain tumours to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK.
Help fund the fight. Together we will find a cure.
Key statistics on brain tumours:
- Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
- Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
- Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002
- One in three people in the UK knows someone affected by a brain tumour
- Each year, nearly 13,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour
- More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with a brain tumour or the long-term impact of their diagnosis
- Every day, 35 people in the UK are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour
- Brain tumours kill more children than leukaemia
- Brain tumours kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
- Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer
- In England, you are four times less likely to survive five-years following a primary brain tumour diagnosis compared to the average for all cancers
- There are more than 100 different types of primary brain tumour making them notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat
- In England, nearly 40% of brain tumour patients are diagnosed in emergency care when their symptoms have developed more significantly
Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. For verification and further facts and statistics, please refer to our website. We can also provide case studies and research expertise for the media.