Raising public awareness of brain tumours – the forgotten cancer

But a telephone call from Scotland, where Martin was on a fishing trip last summer, changed their plans forever.

"Martin was on a fishing trip and he suddenly wasn't able to speak. We thought he'd had a stroke so my eldest son Liam and I rushed up to Stranrar where he had been taken to hospital," says Irene.

Doctors said that Martin had a brain tumour.

"Even when he said that it was brain cancer we didn't realise how bad it was. We were incredibly positive and thought that we could beat it."

But after tests at Leeds General Infirmary the Smalls were told the worst news. Martin's brain tumour was a grade 4 and inoperable. They were told he had between six months and a year to live. He died three months later at 62.

"We had so many plans," says Irene from Harrogate. "Martin was a driver for social services and was starting to take things easy because he had a bad knee. I worked as an escort for social services and we were looking forward to spending more time together.

"Martin loved his fishing, but he loved his family more. It is such a cruel and devastating disease and yet it is a forgotten cancer."

Irene said one of the hardest things during Martin's illness was the lack of people to talk to about what she was going through. Then a friend showed her a newspaper article about Pamela Roberts who had set up the PPF Brain Tumour Research Initiative after losing her husband Peter to the disease. Her aim is to raise 1m for brain tumour research by 2015.

"She was such a comfort to me," says Irene. "Just to have someone to talk to about what was happening. I knew then that I would have a lot more to do with her further down the line." And she was right.

Last weekend Irene held a garden party for Pamela's charity and raise an impressive 1,000 in two hours.

"People were so generous. It really helps having something to focus on. My family and friends have been such a support, but you do need something to throw yourself in to and Pammie is such an inspiration."

Pam set up the PPR Brain Tumour Research Appeal at Ripley Castle on September 9 last year with a photographic exhibition with the aim of getting a million people to donate 1.

Since then she and a growing number of volunteers, including Irene, has raised more then 190,000 in nine months.

"People have been very generous," says Pam, who was also raising awareness of the appeal at The Great Yorkshire Show and exhibiting photographer Javan Liam's 2009 "People, Places and Faces" exhibition which launched the appeal at Ripley Castle.

"The people at the Great Yorkshire Show were fantastic and we raised 1,500 and possibly more importantly we raised awareness."

On Saturday, August 14 Pam aims to collect a furlong of pounds. Which would amount to a sum in excess of 9,000. Sir Thomas and Lady Ingilby, who are patrons of the charity, have once again given over the grounds of their home at Ripley Castle, for a second floodlit photographic exhibition on Tuesday September 7.

But as well as fund and awareness raising, Pam has been busy setting up a support group for people with brain tumours and their families and carers.

"There is no Brain Tumour Support Group in Harrogate, and, to that end, I have decided to form The PPR Foundation Brain Tumour Support Group where we can offer each other both emotional and practical support based on our own experiences," says Pam.

"Furthermore, we can together campaign as a group for research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours."

The first meeting of this group will be held on Wednesday August 18 at 7pm at The Pine Marten, Otley Road, Harrogate HG3 1UE.

"All are welcome; those living with a brain tumour, carers, relatives, friends; in fact anyone whose life has been touched by a brain tumour is most welcome to join us."

Irene adds: "I think the support group is fantastic idea. When Martin was ill all I wanted was someone to talk to and that person was Pammie."

For more information email: pam@theppr foundation.com or visit www.thepprfoundation.com Tel: 01423 873412.