January
Mark Monaghan – His Story
Mark is a loving husband to Debs and loving father to their children George and Katie.
In April 2024 Mark was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma (a type of brain cancer) and has since had two different rounds of Chemotherapy and a major (7.5 hr) operation to remove most of one of his tumours. Unfortunately, as is the nature of this cruel disease, his tumours have all grown back and are actually larger.
In December 2024 Mark started a new round of treatment as part of a ‘Trial’ which aims to see if through this new treatment they can halt the growth of his tumours, knowing that his cancer will never go away.
Mark has never been one to sit back and do nothing, he served his country for 10 years in the Royal Navy, mostly on HMS Southampton that took him all around the world. While on active service he saw action during the Bosnian War, for which he was recognised and decorated. Following his diagnosis, he was adamant that his awful prognosis would not define him and together with the help of a group of his closest friends ‘Marks Mission’ was born.
Mark’s Mission is:
“To raise the funds to find the cause and ultimately the cure for this incurable cancer”
The purpose of Marks Mission is to raise awareness of this terrible disease and the challenges individuals face when they receive their diagnosis, to bring brain cancer to the forefront of people’s minds and to raise vital funds to go towards much needed research into this lesser known cancer, with a view to eventually finding a cure.
Mark is acutely aware that whatever is done in his name cannot save him, but if he can contribute, together with all of those involved, to raise awareness and work towards a cure then he will have made a difference and hopefully ensured that others do not have to suffer as he has.
Marks Mission aims to raise money through a series of ongoing fundraising events, which are detailed on our events page, but the main one will take place in May 2025 and will see a group of Mark’s closes friends take on the mammoth task of cycling 1240Km in 10 days visiting every premiership Rugby Ground, starting at Kingston Park the Home of the Newcastle Falcons and ending at Cinch Stadium, Franklin Gardens the home of Northampton Saints Rugby who just happen to be team that Mark and his friends all support. The team are hoping to raise £100K.
Brain Cancer facts:
- Did you know that each day in the UK alone around 45 people are given a brain cancer diagnosis;
- That means that in the UK alone over 16,000 people a year are affected by this terrible disease;
- There are currently over 100,000 people in the UK living with brain cancer;
- To make matters worse there are over 120 different types of primary brain tumours, which makes diagnosis this terrible cancer even more difficult;
- We still don’t understand what causes brain tumours;
- Brain tumours do not discriminate they affect people of all ages and genders;
- Brian tumours are the major cause of death in children and adults under 40, more than any other form of cancer;
- Both the incidence rate and death rate associate with brain tumours is rising.
