Why Tile Hill Is Partnering with Brain Tumour Research

In July this year, my family lost someone we loved dearly. My brother-in-law died following a nine-month battle with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. He was many things to many people. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A grandson. A friend. A colleague.

He leaves behind his wife, my sister-in-law, and their 5-month-old son. He leaves four other children, his parents, his grandmother, and many other family members who loved him dearly and should never have had to say goodbye to him at such a young age. 

He was a loved and respected man by all. In fact, the church could not hold everyone who wanted to be there. People overflowed into the church hall because so many had come to pay their respects.

His story is deeply personal to us. But sadly, it is far from unique.

Every day, families across the UK receive life-changing news about a brain tumour diagnosis. Every day, lives are altered in an instant. Every day, people are forced into a fight they never expected to have.

That is why Tile Hill has chosen Brain Tumour Research as our charity partner for the next 12 months. Not because I believe our pain is greater than anyone else's. Not because other diseases and causes matter any less. But because this is a cause that has touched our organisation, our colleagues, and our families, and we want to take action where we believe we can make a difference. In recent years, more than one member of the Tile Hill team has experienced the devastating impact of a brain tumour diagnosis within their family. As people have shared their experiences, one thing has become clear: this affects far more people than many of us realise.

Yet despite the impact, brain tumours remain one of the most underfunded areas of cancer research. The figures are difficult to comprehend.

Thirty-five people are diagnosed with a brain tumour every day in the UK. Brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer. Yet historically, only around 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours. For a disease that causes so much devastation, that imbalance feels impossible to ignore.

The challenge is not simply awareness. It is investment. It is research. It is giving the brilliant scientists, clinicians and researchers working in this field the resources they need to better understand these diseases and develop new treatments.

That is why organisations like Brain Tumour Research are so important.

Their work extends beyond funding laboratories. They support dedicated research centres, campaign for greater national investment, build communities around patients and families, and work relentlessly towards one goal: finding a cure for all types of brain tumours. Importantly, fundraising does not disappear into an abstract concept of "research". It funds real work that has the potential to find cures, earlier diagnosis, or more effective treatment. 

It can help create the specialist laboratory conditions needed to grow brain tumour cells for testing. It supports scientists and research fellows leading breakthroughs. It funds PhD students and early-career researchers who will become the next generation of experts in this field. It helps accelerate progress towards better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Research creates hope.

Hope for earlier diagnosis.

Hope for more effective treatment.

Hope for better quality of life.

Hope that fewer families will have to experience what ours has experienced.

Over the next 12 months, Tile Hill will be getting behind this cause in a big way. For me, this includes taking on the London Marathon in 2027. But this will be much bigger than one marathon. Across our business, colleagues will be taking on challenges, fundraising activities, events and initiatives to support the charity. We will be sharing more about those plans in the months ahead and inviting you to get involved where you can.

My thinking is simple.

If we have the ability to help, we should.

If we can raise awareness, we should.

If we can contribute to research that helps save lives in the future, we should.

And if we can do that together, perhaps we can make more of a difference than any of us could alone.

One final reflection. Like many people who lose someone unexpectedly, this experience has changed my perspective. It has reminded me how fragile life can be. How quickly circumstances can change. How important it is to enjoy the moment, appreciate the people around us, and make the most of the opportunities we have today.

None of us knows what tomorrow holds. What we do know is that we have today. And with that the chance to make a difference to things that we care about or that helps others in our community. 

For me, I want to support Brain Tumour Research. For my brother-in-law, our family, and for every family affected by a brain tumour. And for the hope that one day, through research, fewer families will have to endure the same heartbreak.

Thank you for supporting us on the journey.

If you would like to support our fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, you can make a donation through our fundraising page linked here.