Retired teacher from Luton starts month-long charity challenge in memory of late father

Left: Fundraiser Ruth Halsey doing star jumps; Ruth with her father David Montague, who died of a brain tumour in December 2009. Picture: Brain Tumour Research

A Luton woman, whose father died less than three weeks after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, is starting a month-long challenge tomorrow (November 1) to help raise funds for research.

Ruth Halsey, a retired primary school teacher, will take party in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s ‘100 a Day Your Way’ challenge. Throughout November, 62-year-old Ruth will do 100 star jumps every day, despite currently suffering from sciatica.

She said: “It’s a challenge I’m looking forward to doing every day. It’s also great that I can do it at home and don’t have to go anywhere.”

Ruth’s father, David Montague, died just weeks after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2009. David, a former teacher from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, had spent weeks feeling unwell and had made repeated visits to his GP. In December 2009, it was confirmed that he had a tumour after his face drooped and he lost the use of his legs. He was given six months to live but died just 16 days later, aged 78.

Ruth, who is a grandmother-of-three, said: “Dad was full of life and loved to joke. He enjoyed playing chess and table tennis and was a kind Christian man who did a lot for other people.

“It’s been 14 years since he died and it doesn’t appear anything’s changed in that time. Brain tumours seem to come out of the blue and it’s important more research is done to understand why people get them and what can be done to prevent them.”

She added: “When I saw the challenge, it felt right to get involved because at the moment we’re all praying for a friend’s granddaughter who’s only two and has a brain tumour. It seems there’s nothing that can be done but we’re all praying for a miracle.”

Ruth worked at Beechwood Primary School where she sold Brain Tumour Research pin badges and has also collected donations through birthday fundraisers on Facebook, raising more than £1,400 in total.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Ruth for her continued support of the work we do and wish her all the best with her challenge. We hope her friend’s daughter gets the miracle she deserves.”