It is the frustration of not being able to help her mum, not being able to find an answer and not being able to find a cure and fix her, that have motivated her to take on the challenge of trekking the Great Wall of China. 

Leigh, who is a primary school teacher in Townsville, is the daughter of prominent Scone woman  Rhonda Turner, who is one of The Scone Advocate’s own, being the journalist and editor for a large period from the mid-1990s through to 2004.

Rhonda was first diagnosed with life threatening brain tumours in 2002 when she was just 53-years-old and has since had nearly 30 tumours grow in her head. 

To date she has battled through nine gruelling neurosurgical operations with the most recent being in March, from which she is still recovering from and hopes to get to come home to Scone in coming weeks. 

Leigh said it is important people realise her mother doesn’t have malignant tumours, she does not have brain cancer as the more than 20 meningiomas that have been removed from her brain have all been benign. 

She said although benign, they keep returning and have severely affected her life.

Leigh said seeing her mother go through this terrible disease has motivated her to do something, so she has decided to take part in the Walk 4 Brain Cancer – a walk of the Great Wall of China in October to raise awareness and funds for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. 

“It may not directly cure my mum, but it will help raise research funds to            better understand and treat brain tumours in the future – benign and malignant tumours,” she said.

Leigh, with her brother  Warren Turner and sister Keryn Whittingham, has started a fundraising campaign to raise $50,000 in the lead up to the five day trek where Leigh and about nine others will cover a portion of the wall.

They plan to hold an  Auction Dinner at the Royal Hotel on July 4, however details of the event will be announced in the future. 

With this week being Brain Cancer Action Week, the importance of finding a cure is fresh in the minds of many.

Leigh said the fundraiser is something that is very close to her heart.

“Before mum got the tumours I had never thought about brain cancer, but more people under the age of 40 die from brain cancer than any other sort of cancer,” she said. 

To support Leigh’s fundraising mission, and Rhonda, you can visit www.curebraincancer.org.au/my-fundraising/8399/ leighwalk4brain  to make a donation or alternatively visit her Facebook page Leigh Turner Walk4Brain Cancer China 2015.