The Menon family have so far raised over £27,000 so researchers at the ICR can understand more about gliomatosis cerebri (GC), a relatively unknown and inoperable cancer.

Rudy Menon died on his 26th birthday from GC and his family have set up a trust in his memory – The Rudy A Menon Foundation – to fund research so other families do not suffer the way they have.

Each year since Rudy’s death in June 2013, the Menon family organise the Remembering Rudy walk to raise funds and celebrate Rudy’s short, but full, life. On 7 June 2015 the family held three walks – in London, Nottingham, and Dubai – to raise awareness of GC.

The funds raised will enable Dr Chris Jones, a team leader at the ICR who specialises in brain tumours in children and young people, to carry out, for the first time, a large-scale assessment of the factors that drive GC. The team hope that their research will shed light on what causes the cancer, with the ultimate aim of developing new and targeted treatments for patients with this disease.

Vidhu and Somnath Menon, Rudy’s parents, said: “We are pleased to be working with the ICR and supporting ground breaking work into this devastating disease. Dr Jones is a leader in the field and his expertise will be essential in helping other families. We are grateful to all our family, friends and supporters who are working with us to make this research possible.”

Charlotte Orrell-Jones, Head of Events at the ICR, said: “It was a privilege to be invited to join the Menon family and their friends for the walk in memory of Rudy. The money they raise plays a vital role in allowing us to research this rare and little understood cancer. We are hugely grateful to them for their support.”

Find out more about The Rudy A Menon Foundation.