Paignton woman fundraises for brain tumour cure that killed mum

A Paignton woman who lost her beloved mum to a brain tumour has dedicated two days of research into trying to defeat the devastating illness in her memory.

Kirsty Clarke’s gesture comes during March, Brain Tumour Awareness Month, and after raising almost £6,500 to help find a cure for the disease.

Kirsty was inspired to support the charity Brain Tumour Research after losing her mum Samantha Savage, aged 58 and also from Paignton  in April, 2024.

Kirsty, along with her husband Tobie and Denise Mills, her mum’s twin sister, was invited to the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at The University of Plymouth to find out how her fundraising is helping support scientists working to improve the diagnosis and treatment of children and adults with brain tumours.

Above: Samantha Savage with her grandchildren

The team at the University of Plymouth are focusing particularly on research into low-grade brain tumours, which often go on to develop into high-grade brain tumours with much poorer prognoses for patients. 

The Centre, one of Europe’s leading research institutes for low-grade brain tumours, is proactively working with national and international groups to swiftly translate their research into clinical benefit for patients.

Samantha was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour in 2022 after suffering a seizure. The family was told that the aggressive tumour was inoperable due to the size and location of the tumour, and would destroy Samantha’s ability to speak, walk, think, read and write. She did, however, receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment and was placed on a high dose of steroids to control the seizures.

Kirsty said: “Mum’s last months were marred by endless struggle. Everything that makes life meaningful became nearly impossible. She was a vibrant, healthy woman when she was diagnosed and her life was cruelly stolen.”

Above: Samantha Savage with Kirsty Clarke at Christmas 2023

Vowing to “help other families facing such painful diagnoses and the grim prognosis that comes with this often-overlooked cancer" by raising funds for Brain Tumour Research, Kirsty started training to run the Torbay half marathon in September 2024. 

Although the race ended up being cancelled due to gale force winds and heavy rain, both Kirsty and Tobie still ran the half marathon distance that weekend. 

Kirsty’s fundraising page attracted donations of more than £6,400 and her training runs gave her solace after a “traumatic” period of caring for her dying mother, alongside raising two young children.

Kirsty said: “The Government doesn’t give enough money to research brain tumours and it doesn’t recognise the terrible impact they have on families. 

“It’s some comfort to think that the donations made in Mum’s memory are helping to make a difference for people diagnosed with brain tumours in the future.”

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, more women under 35 than breast cancer and more men under 70 than prostate cancer.

Samantha’s family was given the opportunity to tour the labs at the University of Plymouth, led by director Professor Oliver Hanemann, chair of clinical neurobiology at the university, and spoke to scientists about their work to find a cure. They also placed two tiles dedicated to Samantha on the Wall of Hope at the Centre, representative of the £2,740 it costs to sponsor each day of research. 

Above: Tobie, Kirsty and Denise at the Wall of Hope

Kirsty said: “Sadly, it’s too late for Mum, but I hope the money raised in her memory is life-changing and brings the day closer when a cure is found and families don’t have to go through what we have.”

Louise Aubrey, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Kirsty and her family for their support and generosity. We hope that their visit to our Centre of Excellence at Plymouth offered a useful insight into all we’re doing to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure.

 “Just under 13 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 54 per cent across all cancers, yet just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. This has to change.”

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.

To find out more about sponsoring a day of research, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/sponsor-a-day.