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Nicole Lang, 25 Apr
A Derry man who sadly lost his wife to a brain tumour has completed the
London Marathon in her memory.
Alan Robinson’s wife Nicola, a mum-of-two and a teacher at Fountain
Primary School, was diagnosed in 2018 with a diffuse astrocytoma brain
tumour after suffering for a couple of weeks with headaches and dizzy
spells.
Nicola underwent two seven-hour craniotomies at the Royal Victoria
Hospital in Belfast, as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but
nothing could stop the tumour growing and Nicola passed away, aged 35,
in October 2021.
She left a huge void in the lives of her family that they say “can
never be filled."
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than
any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national spend on
cancer research is allocated to this devastating disease.
Nicola’s passion for raising awareness and funds for research to find a
cure for brain tumours, led Alan to set up a Fundraising Group last
year under the umbrella of the charity Brain Tumour Research, which he
called Stronger Together for Nicola.
Mum of two, Nicola, sadly passed away aged just 35
As part of Stronger Together for Nicola’s first year of fundraising,
Alan and a team of friends and family ran five half-marathons, starting
with the Omagh Half, as well as the full-distance Belfast Marathon.
Along with a gala ball in October 2022 attended by around 270 guests,
incredibly more than £62,000 has already been raised to help find a
cure for the devastating disease as Nicola’s family build a legacy for
her.
Alan, dad to eight-year-old Amelia and Alfie, five, said: “Nicola was
the perfect mummy to her children and would literally have done
anything for anyone. She was also a really devoted teacher and loved
the children she taught as if they were her own.
“I remember when the consultant told me that Nicola only had days to
live. It was a conversation which will haunt me forever.
“Brain tumours are a shocking killer and the stats are so grim. Less
than 12% of patients survive beyond five years which compares with an
average of 50% across all cancers. We have to do something to change
this so that other families aren’t devastated like ours.”
Amelia and Alfie supporting their Daddy
Alan joined a team of more than 70 people who ran 26.2 miles for Brain
Tumour Research on Sunday April 23 2023.
To support Alan’s fundraising, visit https://www.justgiving.
com/fundraising/alan-robinson2023
Brain Tumour Research provided its runners with a package of support in
the lead up to the event, including help from running coaches and
access to a participants’ Facebook Group.
Carol Robertson, national events manager at Brain Tumour Research,
said: “Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anybody, at
any age. We’re very grateful to Alan for taking on this huge challenge
to help raise funds for our cause. Our marathon runners are supported
every step of the way and we look forward to cheering Alan across the
finish line."
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 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
and is also campaigning for greater repurposing of drugs.
To read Nicola’s story go to https://www.braintumourresearch.org/
stories/in-our-hearts/in-our-hearts-stories/nicola-robinson