A teacher is running a half marathon after being inspired by a mum who has a brain tumour.

Alison Kelly-Keegan, from Rickmansworth, will take on the Royal Parks half marathon to help find a cure for brain tumours, one of the biggest cancer killers for people under 40.

The 43-year-old was inspired to do the run by Watford mum-of-four Emily Corrigan, 33, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015 after having a severe seizure.

Since then she has completed 30 sessions of radiotherapy and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

Mrs Kelly-Keegan, who teaches at Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Acton, said: “I used to work with Emily’s mum when we were both teachers at St Joseph’s in Wembley. I was inspired to take on the Royal Parks because of the struggles Emily has been through health-wise and continues to do so, while still being a brilliant mum to her four children.

“I want to raise awareness because if it wasn’t for Emily, I wouldn’t have known that brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.”

Hillingdon Times:

Emily Corrigan with her partner Stewart at the Speakers House

Mrs Kelly-Keegan is raising vital funds and awareness for the charity Brain Tumour Research, which is campaigning for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more money in research into brain tumours to speed up new treatments for patients and help find a cure.

An e-petition over the funding for research into brain tumours received over 100,000 signatures and prompted a debate in the House of Commons after Mrs Corrigan posted on Facebook a scar she suffered after surgery, which was shared more than 18,000 times.

Speaking about Mrs Kelly-Keegan’s run, Mrs Corrigan said: “I am really grateful to Alison. Research into brain tumours is so underfunded and so overlooked. I can’t believe that in 2019, brain tumours remain such a big killer of young people.”

Paula Rastrick, community fundraising manager at Brain Tumour Research in the Central region, said: “We wish Alison the best of luck in her running challenge and we hope she inspires others to take part in a fundraising event for Brain Tumour Research.

“Emily’s story reminds us that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers, and we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue.”