Attleborough man to walk 10,000 steps a day for Brain Tumour Research
The former DJ will be taking on the challenge following his own devastating diagnosis.
Stuart Grant hopes to raise enough money to fund one full day of life-changing research
Submitted by Brain Tumour Research
A businessman and former radio and club DJ is setting his sights on completing a 10,000 steps challenge to raise money for a cause close to his heart.
Having been diagnosed with a brain tumour himself in January 2019, Stuart Grant from Attleborough, Norfolk, will be taking part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge.
The 48-year-old husband and father has an extensive radio career behind him which included presenting Kiss FM’s Stuart Grant Breakfast show in the East of England for 10 years, as well as becoming managing editor at Heart Sussex and Surrey and Global radio, running Choice FM and Capital Xtra.
When Stuart started to notice a slight loss of hearing in one ear, he attributed it to his former career. Following hearing tests and an MRI, Stuart received the devastating diagnosis of a grade 2 oligodendroglioma.
Stuart, who now runs a number of businesses including The Digital Authors Toolkit which provides social media training and website design, underwent a craniotomy in May 2019 followed by six weeks of radiotherapy and three months of chemotherapy.
His ‘brutal’ treatment was put on hold after he developed neutropenia, a condition characterised by abnormally low levels of white blood cells, but his tumour is now stable and being monitored with quarterly MRI scans.
He said: “I’ve avoided googling my condition because I don’t want to know too much about it. It is what it is and people will do what they can to try to help me.
"I’ve been having regular MRIs, all of which have been stable, and I’ve been told it should stay stable for longer rather than shorter, which is good to know.
"I now suffer from fatigue and I still have aches and pains around my scar but if that’s the worst I have to deal with then ‘bring it on’ because I feel blessed in many ways to have caught this when I did."
Stuart is now looking ahead to the challenge he will be undertaking for Brain Tumour Research, which his wife Emma did for the first time last year.
He is hoping to raise at least £2,740, which will be enough to sponsor a day of research at one of the Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence.
Stuart said: "I’ve been thinking about the 10,000 Steps Challenge for the last couple of weeks. I’m keen to do a whole fitness reset, though, so I’m going to sign up to the gym, walk further with the dog, go out at lunchtime, walk around the lounge and I might even try getting my three-year-old daughter Delilah out with me for a stroll around the block because I think she’ll enjoy helping Daddy do his steps.
"My hope is to raise money that will fund more effective treatments for brain tumour patients in the future. The fact that brain tumours only get one per cent of the national spend on cancer research is appalling, especially seeing as they’re the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40.
"It’s counterintuitive and makes no sense at all, which is why I want to help."
After a successful first challenge a year ago which raised nearly £1 million, the Brain Tumour Research’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge is back for 2022.
Participants will receive a free emoji t-shirt and fundraising pack when they receive their first donation and a special medal if they raise £274 or more.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: "The best part of 10,000 Steps a Day in February is that you can fit your steps in with your everyday life whether that be taking your dog for a longer walk, catching up with friends at your local park, walking your commute or school run instead of driving, getting off the bus a few stops earlier or walking around your house whilst on the phone.
"We’re very grateful to Stuart for his support and for signing up to take part in this challenge to fund vital research to find a cure for brain tumours. Less than 12 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50 per cent across all cancers.”
For more information, visit: www.braintumourresearch.org.
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