It is no laughing matter, but an Edinburgh Fringe comedy night has raised £20,000 for brain cancer research.

Professor Richard Gilbertson’s laboratory at The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute on the Biomedical Campus is the beneficiary of Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit, which took place on Wednesday 19 August, via the Angel Child Fund charity.

Nish Kumar, Rosie Jones and Justin Mooorhouse were three of the big-name comics in the line-up for the show which took place at Edinburgh University’s McEwan Hall.

Professor Gilbertson is the 44th Master of Gonville & Caius College. He is the Li Ka Shing Chair and a Senior Group Leader at the CRUK Cambridge Institute and for 10 years was Head of Department of Oncology and Director of the Cambridge Cancer Centre.

Big Brain Benefit shows have raised over £200,000 since its inception in 2017, contributing to over £800,000 raised by Underbelly. The show was created following the diagnosis of an aggressive and rare form of brain cancer called Ependymoma in Alfie Bartlam, the son of Underbelly’s co-founder Ed Bartlam. Alfie sadly died, aged seven, in 2019. His parents, Ed and Lucinda, established a charity in his memory, Angel Child Fund.

Brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children and adults under 40. They shorten life expectancy by an average of 27 years, the most of any cancer. Despite this, brain tumour research is underfunded compared to many other cancers.

Ed Bartlam, Underbelly’s co-founder, said: “I am so grateful to everyone who attended Underbelly’s eighth annual Big Brain Tumour Benefit, and to the fantastic line up of comedians who gave their time and talent to make it such a success. It’s incredible that as a community we have raised more than £20,000, with all of the funds going to Professor Richard Gilbertson’s lab and directly funding cutting-edge tumour prevention and treatment. The Big Brain Tumour Benefit is always such a special night, and together we can continue to raise vital funds that save lives.”

Professor Gilbertson said: “We are truly excited and humbled by the amazing partnership with Underbelly and Angel Child. Every day, we work to end the devastation caused to children and their families by brain tumours. We will accept nothing less than total eradication of these devastating childhood cancers. Thanks to the support we have already received we are about to take a completely new therapy to the clinic. We could not have done this without Underbelly and Angel Child. Together with our collaborators, we have developed a number of other, completely new and kinder treatments, taking us even closer the day when no child will suffer or die from a brain tumour.”

An interview with Professor Gilbertson is in Once a Caian… issue 25 and available online: Showcasing leadership in Once a Caian... issue 25 | Gonville & Caius

Pictured: Ed Bartlam, Underbelly’s co-founder, on stage in front of a slide about Professor Richard Gilbertson at the Big Brain Tumour Benefit (credit: Ian Georgeson)

Main image: Comedian Rosie Jones on stage at the Big Brain Tumour Benefit (Credit: Ian Georgeson)