Underbelly has announced that its 8th Annual Big Brain Tumour Benefit has raised £20,000 for Professor Richard Gilbertson’s laboratory at The Cancer Research Centre in Cambridge, helping to fund new treatments for some of the most aggressive forms of brain tumours affecting children.
The one-night-only fundraising event took place during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and featured a line-up of leading comedians including Nish Kumar, Rosie Jones, Rhys James, Larry Dean, Catherine Bohart, Emmanuel Sonubi, Felicity Ward and Justin Moorhouse.
The Big Brain Tumour Benefit was established by Underbelly in 2017 after co-founder Ed Bartlam’s son Alfie was diagnosed with Ependymoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. Alfie died two years later at the age of seven.
All profits from the event are donated directly to Professor Richard Gilbertson’s lab to support vital brain cancer research and the development of new treatments.
Ed Bartlam, Underbelly’s co-founder, said: “I am so grateful to everyone who attended Underbelly’s 8th annual Big Brain Tumour Benefit last night, and to the fantastic line up of comedians who gave their time and talent to make it such a success. It’s incredible that as a community we have raised more than £20,000, with all of the funds going to Professor Richard Gilbertson’s lab and directly funding cutting-edge tumour prevention and treatment.
“The Big Brain Tumour Benefit is always such a special night, and together we can continue to raise vital funds that save lives.”
Professor Richard Gilbertson added: “We are truly excited and humbled by the amazing partnership with Underbelly and Angel Child. Everyday, we work to end the devastation caused to children and their families by brain tumours. We will accept nothing less than total eradication of these devastating childhood cancers. Thanks to the support we have already received we are about to take a completely new therapy to the clinic. We could not have done this without Underbelly and Angel Child. Together with our collaborators, we have developed a number of other, completely new and kinder treatments, taking us even closer the day when no child will suffer or die from a brain tumour.”
Brain tumours remain the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in people under 40 and reduce life expectancy by an average of 27 years, yet research into the disease continues to receive comparatively limited funding.
Professor Richard Gilbertson’s research focuses on improving the classification and treatment of brain tumours, particularly those affecting children. His team uses genomic analysis to identify cancer-causing abnormalities and develop targeted therapies through clinical trials.
The annual benefit has become a significant fundraising event within the Fringe calendar, bringing together some of the comedy industry’s biggest names to support life-saving research.
