Grieving man’s 24-hour hike to help find a cure for brain tumours

Jamie Williams, 36, of Burgess Hill, has set himself a challenge of climbing the national three peaks in just 24 hours, setting off on Sunday 8 September to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research.

He is taking on the epic hike in memory of his father-in-law, Paul Zmak, who died on 18 May 2024 just seven months after he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM).

Jamie, a car paint protection film installer, said: “We were chatting at work about epic hikes when someone called me out for my ability to climb a mountain, and joked that I wouldn’t be able to do it. Yet, here I am, fully ready to give it my all in tackling the most famous three summits across the UK.”

Paul, 58, a carpenter from Portslade, had been suffering with headaches and anxiety for a year, which he attributed to stress at work and the loss of a family pet. In October 2023, he had a sudden loss of movement from the waist down. Following tests and a biopsy, the grandfather-of-five was given the devastating news he had brain cancer.

Jamie, who has three children, said: “It was a scary time for Paul and all the family. Seeing what he went through physically was horrendous. To see how quickly the cancer took hold of Paul’s body was upsetting. He had one round of chemotherapy, but we were told the cancer was too far gone and there was no treatment that would be effective.

“Getting outdoors and walking helped with my mental health as well as physically giving me the space to process what was happening.”

Paul died at home leaving behind a loving wife, and blended family of five children, including daughter, Jessica.

Jamie has already raised £1,000 for the charity. In June, he cheered on fellow hiker, Mark Gardner who was Paul’s best friend, who walked the south downs for the charity.

He added: “You could see how hard Mark had worked to finish the challenge. He did it carrying pictures of Paul on his backpack, it was very moving. From that moment I knew I wanted to do something to test myself.

“During my hike, I’ll place a painted stone decorated by each of Paul’s five grandchildren and other family members, along the route as a way of sharing the event with them.”

Jamie said: “This cause is close to my heart. If there is investment into researching brain tumours then maybe one day there’ll be a cure and more treatment options. That’s why I’m doing it so other families aren’t ripped apart because of this disease.”

Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002.

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Paul’s story is devastating but unfortunately not uncommon. It’s a reminder of that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. With the support of people like Jamie, who is raising vital funds and awareness intro research brain tumours, we can find kinder treatments and eventually a cure for this devastating disease.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and 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.

To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Jamie’s National Three Peak Challenge, please visit: www.justgiving.com/page/forzmak