Friends
Friends
Mark and Debs
Our dearest friends, our unwavering pillars of strength. Their resilience in the face of adversity is nothing short of inspiring, reminding us every day what courage truly means.
Helen Monaghan
Hi I’m Helen, Mark’s sister.
As you can imagine when Mark was first taken ill and his subsequent diagnosis has devastated us all, my big brother so poorly, not being able to physically do anything to help him get better is so hard.
Mark, Deb, and our whole family are very lucky to have such supportive friends, which helps enormously in the low moments.
As you can see from the website there have been a number of epic challenges and fundraising (George’s Winter marathon, the D.A.D’s cycle tour) for The Brain Tumour Charity under the umbrella of Mark’s Mission already, now it’s my turn…
On Saturday 16th August, I, along with my amazing friend Claire Davies, will be abseiling down the Express Lift Tower in Northampton, all 418 ft of it.
Apparently there are really good views from the top, I’ll let you know, if I manage to open my eyes 
It’s not quite as high as the SkyJump in New Zealand though, 192m (629ft) above Auckland, where you step off the edge falling up to speeds of 52mph for around 11 seconds before landing at the base of the Sky Tower – Yes, you’ve guessed it, Mark did this back in 2005
Katie
I’m Katie and my dad was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer when I was 17 years old. The feeling that you have is indescribable, I wouldn’t wish it upon anybody. I felt as if I was going through a wave of emotions that ranged from denial, terror, despair and sentimental. My mum and dad are incredible and I have such fond memories of camping trips and barbecues from when I was younger. They are two of the strongest people I know and I aspire to be as secure and nurturing as them one day. Honestly, I am grateful for such a great support system, and I would not be able to get through this as well as I am. I like to try and take time to reflect on fond memories and speak to my family as much as I can. When I am not doing that, I like to try to distract myself with singing, colouring or spending time with loved ones.
Lewis
My name is Lewis, I created the original concept for the logo, combining a bike wheel, a brain and the fantastic Mark Monaghan to create something meaningful and recognisable. I am so grateful to be able to support Katie and the family in these times as brain cancer is a horrible thing for anyone to experience, from the inside or out and the effects are devastating. I have never been in this position before and it is so important to support those that you love and make the most of the time there is.
George Monaghan
I’m sure by the time you have got to this part of the website and are reading this you know all about Mark’s Mission and the seemingly crazy goal that my Dad’s friends are trying to achieve. But what is difficult to put into words is the drive and determination that experiencing something like this can give to someone.
In December 2024 I ran a marathon to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity. But it wasn’t only for that, if I’m being honest I wanted to make my dad proud. I was undertrained, freezing cold and not following any form of training plan but what got me round those 26.2 miles, through muddy wet fields, was my Dad. He’s an inspiration to me, the family and to all his friends and family. That is why me and Andy and everyone else who’s helping to raise money is doing it and not giving up. What also helped me get round the 26.2 miles was all the donations I received. When times got tough I knew I couldn’t let everyone that had donated down. It didn’t matter if it was £1 or £100 that was given, every bit counts.
Of course, it’s been an incredibly difficult time for me, my family and friends, but my Dad’s always managed to stay in high spirits. To see him at the finish line of my marathon, standing proud and smiling will be a thought that will stay with me forever.
Now it’s time to support Andy, Derek and Duncan so I can see my Dad’s smiling face at the finish line once again.
Archie Lamb
My name is Archie Lamb. Duncan, who is one of the ‘DAD’s’ taking part in the epic cycle ride, is the father of my Partner Katie. Duncan has been threatening to enter me into a half marathon with him for some time. When Duncan told me about Mark’s Mission, he and I started to discuss how we might combine a running challenge with support for Mark’s Mission.
We were originally scheduled to participate in the Great Birmingham Run half marathon scheduled for 4 May 2025, just 5 days before the cycle ride. Because of the close proximity and risk of injury for Duncan (one of the DADs cycling) we have changed focus and now instead of Birmingham we are participating in the Great North Run on Sunday 7 September 2025. I have never run a half marathon before and I had little knowledge of brain cancer. I am learning about both pretty quickly right now and to be able to support this cause, raise vital funds and increase awareness of brain tumours is something I am very proud to contribute to.
Arthur Concannon
A huge shoutout to 10-year-old Arthur Concannon, son of our good friends Andy and Ruth. Arthur decided he wanted to help, so he persuaded his entire school to take part by letting everyone wear their hats to school in support. Not only that—he even got on the radio to promote Mark’s Mission! Thank you, Arthur, for your incredible effort and passion. Great job!