More than 300 people descended on Wardown Park in Luton to take part in a Walk of Hope in aid of Milton Keynes-based charity Brain Tumour Research.
The 1km and 5km walk, on Sunday, was organised by the mums of two inspirational young people who died earlier this year.
Amani Liaquat, a 23-year-old Masters student and first-class honours law graduate from Luton, died in February, 22 months after being diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM).
George Fox, a 13-year-old Arnold Academy pupil from Barton-le-Clay, also known as Gorgeous George, died in April, 11 months after being diagnosed with the same highly aggressive form of brain tumour.
Many who took part displayed a splash of purple in honour of Amani and red in honour of Gorgeous George, among them bereaved families, many wearing photographs of loved ones lost to the disease, and current brain tumour patients.
Farzana Chaudry, whose father Asmat died of a GBM in 2014, crocheted scores of purple and red hearts – offered to walkers in exchange for a charitable donation.
Yasmin Stannard, Amani’s mum said: “I was amazed by the turnout on Sunday. The sea of pink Walk of Hope T-shirts with splashes of purple for Amani and red for George was humbling. It meant the world to see so many people standing by our side to remember Amani and George but also the thousands of other families affected by this dreadful disease.”
George’s mum Louise said: “We were proud and honoured to help organise the Luton Walk of Hope in honour of our son Gorgeous George. We were delighted to do this along with Yasmin and Khuram, the parents of Amani and in memory of our children together.
“No families should face the devastation that we are right now, and we need to continue to raise awareness and money to help find a cure so others don't feel the deep pain we are right now without George.”
The event also featured a shoe memorial to honour the many lives lost to brain tumours. Among them were shoes placed in memory of two-year-old Harry Crick, five-year-old Larsen Roberts, eight-year-old Reece Nelson, 11-year-old Renai Taylor-Fraser, 39-year-old David Hetherington and 63-year-old Michael Bailey.
Yasmin, who organised the first Luton Walk of Hope last year with Amani, said: “The shoe memorial was a shocking reminder of the real reason we were walking on Sunday, for those still fighting but also the thousands that have lost their lives.
“Each shoe stood for a lost life, the destruction of a family and the loss of their dreams for the future. Too many lives are lost to brain cancer and more needs to be done.”
The event was brought to a close with an impassioned speech by Rohima Mughal, a desperate mum-of-three from Luton, who is currently crowdfunding to access treatment overseas for her husband, Mohsin, who was diagnosed with an inoperable grade 4 glioblastoma (GBM) on their 15th wedding anniversary in May.
She said: “Only 1% of the national spend on cancer research goes to brain tumours, and there are so many types of brain tumours and so many families that are desperate for help.”
To find out more about Brain Tumour Research, visit the website here
1. Luton Walk of Hope
One of the four-legged participants: Betsy the old English sheep dog in Walk of Hope t-shirt Photo: Brain Tumour Research
2. Luton Walk of Hope
Around 300 people took part in either a 1km or 5km walk Photo: Tessa Neale of Tessallated Photography
3. Luton Walk of Hope
Khuram Liaquat with Amani's friends Photo: Tessa Neale of Tessallated Photography
4. Luton Walk of Hope
L: George Fox, a 13-year-old Arnold Academy pupil from Barton-le-Clay, who was known by many as Gorgeous George, died in April, 11 months after being diagnosed with the same highly aggressive form of brain tumour. R: Amani Liaquat, a 23-year-old Masters student and first-class honours law graduate from Luton, died in February, 22 months after being diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM). Photo: Brain Tumour Research