A YOUNG woman from Taunton has taken part in a charity walk in memory of her dad.

Megan Barter, 22, was just 20 when she lost her 50-year-old dad Philip after he developed a brain tumour.

She took part in the 12-mile walk organised by the Brain Tumour Research charity on Saturday, September 8.

The group started the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal Walk of Hope from Bridgwater Docks.

Many of the participants had been personally affected by a brain tumour.

Philip, a construction manager from Taunton, was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma – a highly aggressive type of tumour – after suffering from headaches and seizures. He had surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy but sadly passed away in September 2016, aged 50, leaving his wife, Vicki, and their two teenage children, Megan and Jack.

Megan, a mental health nurse, said: “After going through the painful loss of my dad I wanted to try and help make a difference for other families, so I decided to fundraise for Brain Tumour Research. When I heard about the walk from Bridgwater to Taunton I thought it would be the most perfect way to raise money and to remember my dad.

“Having spoken about my loss to friends, family members and colleagues, it has struck me as how common brain tumours are and how many of us are affected by them. My dad was courageous throughout his treatment and I’m sure, if he were still here today, he would have done the walk alongside me.”

Megan was joined by several other walkers on the day and the group also cheered on a team of six canoeists, who were paddling a total of 29 miles and walking for a further 14.5 miles. The Canoeing for a Cure team were also raising money for Brain Tumour Research in honour of their good friend, Jim Murray, a 51-year-old police officer from Bridgwater. Jim is living with a glioblastoma brain tumour.

Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, 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.

Michael Thelwall, Head of Community Fundraising at Brain Tumour Research, said: “For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and stories like Philip’s and Jim’s remind us all that we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Sadly, less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.

“We are very grateful to Megan and the other walkers for taking part in The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal Walk of Hope. The money raised on the day will go towards research into the causes of brain tumours, improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.”

To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Megan’s JustGiving page visit https://bit.ly/2CDR5Rw