Children of all ages are getting their hats on to help find a cure for a devastating disease which has touched their lives.

The stars of this year’s Wear A Hat Day campaign for the Brain Tumour Research charity have all either been bereaved by a brain tumour, are living with a brain tumour or have a close family member who has been diagnosed.

The kids, aged one to 13, are donning their best headwear from beanies to cowboy hats, trilbies to Panamas, baseball caps to novelty headpieces, and are asking others to join them for Wear A Hat Day 2019, the UK’s biggest brain tumour awareness event.

This year, it takes place on Friday 29 March.

Among the children featured in the charity’s marketing campaign are Myah Bell, aged four, from Gloucester, who underwent surgery at 10 and a half months; Solihull brother and sister Rafaele and Siena Guglia, seven and six, whose grandad died from a brain tumour; Peebles siblings Chloe and Oscar, 11 and eight, whose dad Matt Lowther died aged 38; and 13-year-old twins George and Jasmine from Cowbridge who lost their dad Hugh Walker.

Also taking part will be hundreds of schools, workplaces, and individuals who will don their hat of choice and hold a whole host of hat-themed fundraising events in support of Brain Tumour Research.

Sue Farrington Smith MBE, Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Research, said:

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet, historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease; Brain Tumour Research is proud to be changing this.

The sad truth is that brain tumours are indiscriminate and can affect anyone at any age and this means the impact on families is enormous.

Too many children are losing siblings, parents and grandparents, too many parents are enduring the agony of their child’s diagnosis, and society as a whole continues to bear the burden of increased costs through the NHS, lost taxes, and demands on the benefits system.

Wear A Hat Day has raised over a million pounds since it was launched by Brain Tumour Research ten years ago and is the culmination of Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March. The big day will see schools, workplaces, families and individuals across the UK fundraising and taking part in fun events to raise awareness of brain tumours and help fund life-saving research.

Funds raised will develop the charity’s network of world-class brain tumour research centres in the UK where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

To get involved please visit www.wearahatday.org or text HAT to 70660 to donate £5.

Picture: George and Jasmine Walker, Brain Tumour Research / Venture Studios