Pevensey four-year-old heads up Wear A Hat Day for the Brain Tumour Research charity

A four-year-old from Pevensey, whose father is living with a brain tumour, is starring in a marketing campaign which will raise funds to help find a cure for the disease.
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Reuben Wood is one of a handful of children taking part in this year’s national Wear A Hat Day campaign by the Brain Tumour Research charity. His image will be seen across the country as the campaign is launched ready for Brain Tumour Awareness month in March.

Like Reuben, all the children in the campaign have either been bereaved by a brain tumour, are living with a brain tumour or have a close family member who has been diagnosed.

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The kids 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 on March 29.

Reuben Wood promoting the campaign. Pic by Venture StudiosReuben Wood promoting the campaign. Pic by Venture Studios
Reuben Wood promoting the campaign. Pic by Venture Studios

Reuben’s dad Graham Wood is living with an anaplastic astrocytoma; a grade 3 brain tumour. Since his diagnosis nearly five years ago, he has undergone surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Graham, 34, ran a newsagents in St Leonards-on-Sea with his wife Amber, but was forced to give up the business because of the tumour.

Graham, who was diagnosed after a motorbike crash, said: “I’m so proud of Reuben for being part of the Wear A Hat Day campaign.

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“It means so much to my family and I to help contribute towards a cure, so it’s an honour to have him take part. Reuben had such a fun time at the photoshoot too and it will be a lovely memento for him to look back on.”

Reuben donning a hat. Pic by Venture StudiosReuben donning a hat. Pic by Venture Studios
Reuben donning a hat. Pic by Venture Studios

The charity hopes hundreds of schools, workplaces, and individuals who will don their hat of choice on March 29 and hold a whole host of hat-themed fundraising events in support of Brain Tumour Research.

Sue Farrington Smith, chief executive of Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are extremely grateful to Reuben and his family for helping us to launch Wear A Hat Day 2019.

“I know that people will be both distressed and inspired to hear the stories of all of these families who, like my own, know the pain of a brain tumour diagnosis.

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“We are entirely committed to easing this pain by improving treatment options for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.”

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.