The death of a beloved husband and dad-of-two is the continuing inspiration behind a family’s journey to help find a cure for brain tumours.

David Hetherington was diagnosed with a low-grade oligoastrocytoma in 2011, which over time changed to a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

He underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy to control the tumour but died in November 2016 at the age of 39, leaving his wife, Shaz Hetherington, and two young children Layla and Daniel.

Shaz, 42, met David when they were working for HSBC at Canary Wharf. They were married in 2010 and just months later, David started experiencing speech arrests, which subsequently led to his brain tumour diagnosis.

Shaz said: “When the diagnosis came it was a huge shock, not least because I was 31 weeks pregnant with Layla, our first child. Our perspective and priorities changed. We tried to live every day to the fullest even if we were just hanging around the house. I took tens of thousands of photos wanting to capture David with Layla, who was born in December 2011, and then with Daniel, who came along in June 2014.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

The Hetherington family is fundraising for Brain Tumour Research. Photo: Brain Tumour Research

“David fought so bravely and never once complained. He was an avid fundraiser for many charities and so on 6 August 2017, on what would have been his 40th birthday, we celebrated his life with our first memorial walk for Brain Tumour Research.

"Setting off from the HSBC tower in Canary Wharf, the children and I were joined by many of David’s friends, family and colleagues. David’s parents took part in Carlisle and further afield we had supporters joining us in walks as far away as Croatia, Kuala Lumpur and Australia! Around 300 people in all four corners of the globe joined in what we called ‘the world’s local walk.’”

Since losing David three years ago, his family from Woodford Green has raised more than £35,000 for the Brain Tumour Research charity in his memory, with events including an annual London Walk of Hope.

The fundraising group Power of David is organising another Walk of Hope to raise funds to help find a cure and to raise awareness of this terrible disease.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Walkers at the Olympic Park in Stratford. Photo: Brain Tumour Research

The family-friendly event takes place at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford on September 28, 2019.

Shaz said: “Last year’s Walk of Hope was such a success, we’re hoping for another great event this year, to help contribute to the charity’s fundraising target of £80,000 from all their Walks of Hope around the country.

“Many of us are inspired by David’s memory but we are also walking in honour of the hundreds of thousands of people who suffer daily from this disease. We can’t sit back and let this situation continue.”

The David Hetherington Memorial Walk of Hope is a picturesque five or 10k walk, starting and finishing at the Last Drop café at the base of the ArcelorMittal Orbit.

Walkers are encouraged to bring a picnic or purchase refreshments at the café.

Registration is £10 per adult, £30 per family of four, which includes t-shirts and finishers medals. Participants are asked to set a fundraising target of £100.

To sponsor the Power of David fundraising group, go to: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pod-walkfordavid19