Partridge Green dad with brain tumour inspires daughter’s school to take part in Wear A Hat Day

Daniel and Natalie Calver with their children Sennen and Hayden SUS-190325-145427001

Jolesfield C of E School has signed up to take part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s Wear A Hat Day, the UK’s premier brain tumour awareness event.

Pupils and their teachers will flood the school with a sea of hats, from beanies to cowboy hats, trilbies to Panamas, baseball caps to novelty headpieces.

They are participating in the fundraiser, which takes place on Friday March 29, in support of six-year-old Sennen Calver whose dad is living with a brain tumour.

Dad-of-two Daniel Calver, 32, of Partridge Green, is currently undergoing chemotherapy to treat his grade 2 glioma which was diagnosed in March 2018. He has also endured a gruelling seven-hour awake craniotomy and radiotherapy.

Daniel, who lives with his wife Natalie and their two children, said: “It was an awful shock to be diagnosed with a brain tumour, after suffering a massive seizure. I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t had any other symptoms.

“Though I’ve been through a long journey so far with my treatment, I still have a way to go with chemotherapy.

“My treatment is going well and I am very grateful to the staff and pupils at Jolesfield C of E School who are dedicated to helping us fundraise for Brain Tumour Research.

“It was Sennen’s idea to fundraise and she is very excited to take part in Wear A Hat Day with her classmates. I hope she inspires other schools to participate in the fundraiser too.”

Wear A Hat Day has raised over a million pounds since Brain Tumour Research was launched ten years ago and is the culmination of Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March.

Tim Green, senior community fundraising manager in the South East, said: “It’s touching that the students and staff at Jolesfield C of E School are so committed to fundraising to support Sennen and her family.

“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet have historically received just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research.

“What’s more, less than 20 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years. We cannot allow this desperate situation to continue.”

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 in improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

To donate to the school’s JustGiving page, go to: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jolesfieldwaht19

To get involved with Wear A Hat Day, please visit: www.wearahatday.org or text HAT to 70660 to donate £5 plus network charge.

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