[ad_1]
A student from Gordonstoun raised £ 3,000 for brain tumor research in memory of her stepfather.
Scarlett Sykes, 18, organized a sponsored early morning run for students at the prestigious school near Elgin in Moray, as well as the launch of a Facebook fundraiser in honor of Paul Malcolm.
The mental health nurse died aged 48 in 2017, five weeks after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.
The British Army reservist, who had carried out two operational missions in Afghanistan, was “extremely fit and in good health” and his diagnosis was a “huge shock,” said Ms Sykes.
She won a sixth grade scholarship to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Former School in 2019 from her partner school, Samworth Church Academy in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
The funds will go to the charity Brain Tumor Research, which says brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
Ms Sykes said: ‘He has led an incredibly busy life, even studying for a fine arts degree, while juggling his career as a frontline NHS worker.
“He had flown two operational missions in Afghanistan and was extremely fit and in good health. He exercised every day and was a vegetarian. His diagnosis of grade three brain tumor in April 2017 came as a huge shock.
“I was only 15 at the time and I couldn’t really understand what had happened. He had fallen ill so quickly and had declined rapidly.
“It cost my mother dearly. She and Paul were planning to get married.
“As a family, we are passionate that no other family has to go through the pain we have been through.”
Ms Sykes’ mother Samantha, also an NHS mental health nurse, and older brother Charlie were also devastated by the loss.
Ms Sykes, who is awaiting her bachelor’s results to study psychology at Goldsmiths University in London, added that her sponsored run was inspired by Gordonstoun’s tradition of a daily 3.5 mile jog up to the nearby coast guard watchtower, which was mandatory. until the 1990s.
Joe Woollcott, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumor Research, said: “We were truly sorry to learn of the tragic loss of Scarlett’s stepfather, Paul.
“Her story reminds us that brain tumors are blind, they can affect anyone at any time. Our condolences extend to Scarlett’s mother and brother and to all who knew and loved Paul.
“What Scarlett has done in memory of her stepfather is truly inspiring.”
The charity calls for more investment in brain tumor research, asking for a national annual expenditure of £ 35million “to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukemia “.
Source link
