A woman whose best friend was diagnosed with a brain tumour has jumped out a plane to raise awareness of the disease. Tracy Herranz-Sanchez, 58, of Leamington Spa, completed a tandem skydive from 14,000ft to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The mother-of-two grown up daughters and grandmother-of-three was inspired by her best friend, Norma Byrne, who was diagnosed with a meningioma in January 2022. Norma, 54, also from Leamington Spa, thought her episodes of confusion were down to long COVID, until a CT scan revealed a mass on her brain.
In June 2022, Norma had a 10-hour operation to remove the 5cm x 6cm tumour – which she was told could have been growing since birth. She now lives with minimal symptoms and is monitored with regular scans.
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The pair have been friends for more than 30 years, seeing many of life’s milestones together in that time. Tracy said: “As soon as I found out about Norma’s brain tumour, I knew I wanted to do something to support her. I had always wanted to do a skydive so thought it was the best way to raise money and awareness of the disease.
"The skydive was amazing and a very emotional experience. I didn’t feel nervous at all, I was focused on doing it for Norma and her family who have shown so much strength over the last 18 months.
"Norma was so proud of me and I think she too was overcome with emotion when I showed her the video of my jump.” Tracy, who works as a finance officer, has raised more than £1,000 for the charity." The sky dive took place on Sunday, September 17 at Skydive Langar in Nottingham.
She added: “The statistics around brain tumours are shocking. They kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. I think that would be shocking to anyone, let alone if someone you know has been diagnosed.”
Tracy has also added her name to help Brain Tumour Research reach 100,000 signatures on its petition to increase research funding, in the hope of prompting a parliamentary debate. The charity is calling on the Government to ring-fence £110 million of current and new funding to kick-start an increase in the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million a year by 2028.
Brain Tumour Research wants the Government to recognise brain tumour research as a critical priority. It says the increase in research investment would put brain tumours in line with the spend on cancers of breast, bowel and lung, as well as leukaemia.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are grateful to Tracy for taking on this fantastic challenge and raising vital funds for us, as well as supporting our petition.
“For too long governments have put brain tumours on the ‘too difficult to think about’ pile. Five years after the Government announced £40 million for brain cancer research, less than £11 million has been spent. Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose.
“If everyone can spare just a few minutes to sign and share, we will soon hit the 100,000 signatures we need and help find a cure, bringing hope to families whose loved ones have been affected by brain tumours.”
To sign and share the petition before it closes at the end of October 2023, go to www.braintumourresearch.org/petition. To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Tracy’s fundraiser, please visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/TracyHS
