A Kent man is set to run the TCS London Marathon in support of his father, who was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour after his behaviour changed while on holiday.
Scott Edwards, 48, from Sevenoaks, was diagnosed in January 2023 with a stage 3 oligodendroglioma, a form of brain cancer that cannot be cured. His eldest son, Harry Edwards, 23, will take on the London Marathon on Sunday, April 26 to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research. Harry said the diagnosis came after the family noticed Scott acting 'out of the ordinary' during a trip to Dubai in December 2022.
“It was horrendous when we were told Dad had a mass on his brain. Just a few days before he was pretty much normal, then suddenly everything changed and he was barely conscious in hospital. He didn’t recognise me, which was really tough,” he said.
Harry added that what first seemed like recovery from a recent hip operation soon escalated into serious symptoms, including headaches, sickness and loss of mobility, leading to emergency hospital care and surgery after an MRI scan revealed the tumour.
Scott underwent complex brain surgery at King’s College Hospital, followed by radiotherapy and 15 months of chemotherapy, which ended in January 2025. His latest scans have shown the tumour is currently stable.
Harry said taking on the marathon is both a personal challenge and a way of giving back. “I wanted to do something for Dad and put myself through a proper challenge because he’s been through one,” he said. “I’m also doing it for anyone affected by this disease. Brain tumours are devastating for families.”
Brain Tumour Research says brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet receive only a small fraction of national cancer research funding. The charity funds specialist research centres across the UK and campaigns for increased investment to improve treatments and outcomes. Carol Robertson, national events manager at Brain Tumour Research, said Harry’s efforts were 'truly inspiring' and highlighted the urgent need for greater research funding.
Harry’s fundraising continues ahead of race day, with donations supporting the charity’s work to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
