A man from Ascot who lost his brother to a brain tumour will be running the London Marathon on Sunday along with his wife to help find a cure for the disease. 

Lee, 52, and Surrell, 45, Perry, from Ascot, Berkshire are running for the charity Brain Tumour Research and have already raised more than £8,000.

Lee’s 15-years older brother Graham, described as a second dad, passed away aged 45 following a seizure that occurred while he was buying Christmas presents for his family.

“Graham taught me to ride a bike, swim and even took me to my first football match. We remained very close even as adults. It was devastating losing him less than a year after being diagnosed with a brain tumour,” said Lee.

A maintenance manager for Wilkinson Sword in High Wycombe, Graham’s condition was discovered after a stroke left him in Wycombe Hospital.

“The treatment was like torture,” said Lee, describing the radiotherapy.

Lee decided to take on the challenge of running the London Marathon for Brain Tumour Research to help find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure so that other families don’t have to suffer like his.

Melanie Tiley, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research said: “We are very grateful to Lee and Surrell for taking on the London Marathon and for their amazing fundraising support.

“With brain tumours killing more men under 70 than prostate cancer, it’s vital we continue the fight to find a cure.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK.

It also campaigns for the Government and the 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 calling 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 and is also campaigning for greater repurposing of drugs.