Mitch inspires Walk 4 Brain Cancer

But Ballarat’s Mitchell Prendergast, 20, has survived a lesion discovered on Christmas Eve, 2012, after he suffered a seizure while swimming.

Now his family are giving back to the community by organising the second annual Walk 4 Brain Cancer around Lake Wendouree on Sunday.

Mitchell’s mum Emilie said brain cancer only gets five per cent of federal government cancer research funding.

“But there is one diagnosis of brain cancer every four hours in Australia, and 16,000 Australians die of it every year,” Ms Prendergast said.

Last year’s inaugural walk raised nearly $17,000, with November designated as Brain Cancer Awareness Month.

“You don’t embrace it until you’re touched by it yourself,” Ms Prendergast said.

“But it is the biggest cancer killer in males under 40. We want to save the other young boys (like Mitch) coming through.”

She said walks were organised rather than fun runs because brain cancer could often affect motor skills, limiting patients’ involvement otherwise.

“This way, they can even get involved in their wheelchairs.”

Ms Prendergast said all the funds raised went to the foundation, curebraincancer.org.au, established by renowned brain tumour surgeon Dr Charlie Teo, and she also hoped to have The Project’s Carrie Bickmore – whose husband died of a brain tumour – involved in further charity events.