BERKSWELL father of three Mark Fischer-Beards is taking on The Equinox 24 hour endurance race in a bid to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity following the death of his wife Laura Fischer-Beards. Laura was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in October 2012 after suffering from persistent neck pain. Mark said: “We were shocked and found it difficult to come to terms with, our lives had changed immeasurably in that instant.”
A few days later Laura underwent surgery to investigate the tumour. Complications meant that Laura was left paralysed down her right side, unable to speak and unable to recognise her family. Despite recovering well from her side effects, in 2013 Laura was given the news that the tumour was malignant and was growing. Laura underwent chemotherapy and had surgery in the US but died on September 8th 2015, her son Sebastian’s 5th birthday.
“Laura's death has affected many people none more so than the boys and I who have been left without our beautiful mummy and wife.” Now Mark is behind a fundraising drive to raise funds and awareness about the disease. He set up ‘The Laura Fischer-Beards Fund’ an official supporter group of The Brain Tumour Charity after Laura’s death. “We are hoping to reach a total of £20,000 for the first year for 'The Laura Fischer-Beards Fund' and are very close to achieving it.”
The Equinox 24 event follows a series of fundraisers which have included the London 2 Brighton 100k run which alone raised over £5,000. “There have been individual and team challenges which have tested determination, courage and resolve. All characteristics that Laura displayed in her approach to dealing with her brain tumour.” Mark will be joined at the event in September by Mel Glover, Simon Hackett, April Langston, Darren Bird, Christian Horne and Natalie Bird who will run as many 10km laps in 24 hours as they can.
“It has been almost a year since Laura sadly died and as the anniversary approaches, our youngest Sebastian will be six years old on the same day. I draw strength from our boys and know that Laura would be proud of what we have achieved so far. We will continue to raise awareness and funds so that research and clinical trials can advance for all families that are affected by brain tumours, with the hope of one day finding a cure.”
Geraldine Pipping, The Brain Tumour Charity’s Director of Fundraising, said: “We are immensely grateful to Mark for his determination to help others in the face of his own loss and we wish him and the team the best of luck for the event.
“We receive no government funding and rely 100% on voluntary donations, so it’s only through the efforts of Mark and others like him that we can work towards our twin goals of doubling survival and halving the harm caused by brain tumours. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK and survival rates have not improved significantly over the last 40 years. We need to change that.”
To donate please go to: bit.ly/TeamLaws
