Mum’s charity plea follows son’s brain tumour battle
A MUM who runs a charity inspired by her son’s against-the-odds battle with a brain tumour is calling for support to tackle the ‘indiscriminate and devastating’ disease.
Jay Lynchehaun was diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable brain tumour aged 25.
He is miraculously still going strong more than six years on, despite being given a survival prognosis of just six months.
His mum Sharon Hacking, 54, of Kingsway, Great Harwood, now runs a charity originally set up by Jay called Inbetweenears, a help group for young adults with brain tumours.
Sharon, 54, is also hosting a fundraising event at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Clayton-le-Moors later this month.
Sharon, who is a lettings agent, said: “Jay was told he had just months to live but thankfully he is still very much here with us today, more than six years on. He is married to the lovely Becky and the happy couple have a 14-month-old son Teddy.
“Fortunately, Jay is an exception to the rule. Just 20 per cent of brain tumour patients survive for five years compared with 50 per cent across all cancers.
“Brain tumours are indiscriminate, they can affect anyone at any age.
“They kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.”
Jay, who lives in Clitheroe now but grew up in Great Harwood, has responded better than predicted after undergoing surgery, and chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.
He looked around for support groups, but could not find anything appropriate for brain tumour patients his age as they were all for children or old people. It led him to set up a charity to support adults between 18 and 40, resulting in Inbetweenears, which Sharon has now taken on.
A Lancashire Ladies who Lunch fundraiser will be held on Sunday, April 22 at the Dunkenhalgh to raise funds for research into brain tumours at UCLan, Preston, where Inbetweenears is funding a full-time researcher.
Sharon added: “Last year we raised more than £11,000, some of which was used to support brain tumour patients or to offer grants to families affected by the condition, but the majority went to UCLan. Tickets are still available for £25, which includes a three-course meal and wine and entertainment.”
Tables are for 10 or 12 guests. For tickets email sharonhacking@gmail. com.