Marlen Lawrenz

I'm part of a team of 10 crazy friends & colleagues looking to complete the 10km Tough Mudder on 15th April in London – and we'll be fundraising for a cause that's close to our hearts, The Brain Tumour Charity.

It’s a fantastic charity that is helping so many people with really complex conditions – and we are doing this for my friend Caitlin who has faced far greater challenges than climbing a few weird obstacles in Finsbury Park!!

Caitlin is the kindest and funniest girl, and her story tells you why we must support organisations such as The Brain Tumour Charity who are so important to people’s lives:

Caitlin had emergency brain surgery at King’s College Hospital in September 2018 to treat Hydrocephalus (a build up of fluid in the brain). This was caused by a lesion in her brain that had only been discovered on a CT scan a year earlier – a scan that she received as she experienced the same symptoms as her mum who had sadly passed away of a brain tumour. 

A biopsy was taken during the surgery and confirmed that this was a Pilocytic Astrocytoma Brain Tumour. Luckily, this type of tumour is considered relatively benign. However, Caitlin received the scary news two years later in late 2020 (in the middle of the pandemic, mind you) that the tumour was growing! Given the location of the tumour, an operation would be extremely complicated and result in a long period of recovery, so they agreed for Caitlin to start PCV chemotherapy in March 2021. She battled through 5 rounds of the 6 initially planned (she was too poorly to take the last one in January 2022). And then she received the amazing news that the chemotherapy was successful, and the tumour is now stable. It even shrunk a bit which is amazing!

Caitlin is absolutely thrilled that we’re fundraising for The Brain Tumour Charity – and I want to share her message with you:

“All of my scans since finishing chemotherapy in 2022 have been stable and I'm hoping that I won't need any more treatment for a long old while, but I rely on the NHS and charities like The Brain Tumour Charity for support groups, advice, and friendship. Having a long-term diagnosis is often lonely, and these groups do so much to help people find kinship and company through dark times.

I originally had a CT scan only because of my mum, Stephanie Ince, who was not as lucky with her own diagnosis and died of an Anaplastic Astrocytoma Brain Tumour in 2016. My mum was the most magical, funny and brilliant person I'll ever know. During her illness I was her main carer and relied on The Brain Tumour Charity for online advice on looking after her, managing finances and helping someone through a terminal diagnosis. I will be forever grateful to them for their support.  Thank you SO MUCH for fundraising on behalf of The Brain Tumour Charity – you guys will do great!!”

Please support our efforts by making a secure donation! I'm also looking forward to receiving your message of support – I sure will need it!

Donations made through this platform are secure and will be remitted directly through to The Brain Tumour Charity. Thanks so much for your support! 

Any questions? Get in touch with The Brain Tumour Charity team at events@thebraintumourcharity.org or call 01252 237867