A Bristol man is lacing up his running shoes for a heartfelt cause, taking on the GetPRO Bath Half Marathon this weekend in honour of his father’s battle with an incurable brain tumour.
Conor Iles, 29, will run the 13.1-mile race on Sunday, March 16, alongside childhood friends Chris Clayton, George Pike, and Ryan Saward to raise funds and awareness for Brain Tumour Research.
His father, Andrew Iles, 63, first noticed symptoms in 2023, including fatigue, a drooping lip, and tingling in his left arm. Initially suspected to be carpal tunnel syndrome or a stroke, further tests revealed a devastating diagnosis.
Conor said: “My dad has always been the heart of our family and a role model to us. He was fit, healthy, and full of life. He worked at Airbus for most of his career and was passionate about his work, especially managing projects like the A380. Some of my favourite memories are of him, my brother Chris, and me playing golf or cheering on Bristol Rovers together.”
In December 2023, Andrew contracted COVID-19 and struggled to recover from extreme fatigue. By April 2024, on Conor’s birthday, it became clear something was seriously wrong. After a CT scan at Southmead Hospital, doctors discovered a mass in Andrew’s brain, later diagnosed as glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable tumour.
Andrew underwent surgery in May 2024, removing 95% of the tumour, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy and six months of chemotherapy. However, a scan in January 2025 showed the tumour had regrown, leaving Andrew with limited treatment options.
“This experience has been a rollercoaster, but Dad’s resilience has been incredible,” Conor said. “At Christmas, he was still going on walks and staying active, so it was devastating to learn that the treatment hadn’t worked. My mum, Monica, had to give up a job she loved to become his full-time carer. It’s been incredibly tough, but their devotion to each other is inspiring.”
Determined to make a difference, Conor is running the Bath Half Marathon to raise awareness of the lack of funding for brain tumour research. “Research into brain tumours is severely underfunded, and treatments haven’t advanced enough to give people like Dad a real chance. I want to do whatever I can to change that so future families don’t have to go through what we have.”
Glioblastoma is the most common type of primary malignant brain tumour in adults, with an average survival time of just 12-18 months. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, yet only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to them since 2002.
Chris Clayton, 29, who will be running alongside Conor, works as an assistant psychologist at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he supports children with traumatic brain injuries and patients involved in a clinical trial for ependymomas, another form of brain tumour.
“In both my work and life, I have seen firsthand the impact brain tumours have,” Chris said. “They don’t just affect the individual, but also their loved ones. When Conor told us about his dad’s diagnosis, it was heartbreaking. Taking on this challenge as a group felt like the right thing to do, and it has brought us even closer as friends. I hope our efforts will help raise awareness and funding for this vital cause.”
Carol Robertson, national events manager at Brain Tumour Research, praised the team’s efforts: “Conor and his friends are making an incredible commitment to support brain tumour research. Their efforts will help us move closer to finding a cure, and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”
To support Conor and his team’s fundraiser, visit: JustGiving Page.