Underbelly raise over £30,000 for Big Brain Tumour Benefit

In September 2016 Ed Bartlam’s son Alfie, then age 4, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. The road to recovery has been anything but smooth and despite extensive treatment two more tumours were found in his brain and spine in December last year.

Alfie still powers on with boundless energy and optimism but his fight is far from over, and throughout the experience Ed has been made all too aware of how underfunded brain tumour research is in the UK.

On Monday Underbelly held the Big Brain Tumour Benefit for the second year, this time in the magnificent 900-seater McEwan Hall. The line-up included Susan Calman in her only Fringe appearance this year, joined by Joel Dommett, Nish Kumar, Zoe Lyons, David O’Doherty and Rhys Nicholson. The event sold out and all ticket income (£15,000) is going directly to the Brain Tumour Charity.

On the night at the Big Brain Benefit Ed Bartlam, co-director of Underbelly announced that it will match every penny of the box office income from the event, bringing the total raised to over £30,000.

There will be bucket shakers across Underbelly sites throughout the Fringe and there is now a Just Giving page where you can make a donation. Already people have generously given over £1,000 since we opened it this afternoon when the event sold out.

The Brain Tumour Charity is an incredibly worthwhile cause to support. Underbelly is proud to have raised over £30,000 tonight and will continue to spread the word and raise as much as possible towards this under-funded and important work.

We want to make a big difference to brain tumour research in the UK.