A devoted son is preparing to take on a marathon challenge in Belfast in memory of his father, who tragically died from a brain tumour. Luke Peel, 23, is taking on the 26.2-mile challenges in Belfast and Manchester in April and May to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research, a charity close to his heart. His father, Nigel Peel, passed away in January 2016 at the age of 48, just 20 months after being diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour. Nigel, a financial director, first noticed something was wrong in April 2014 when he began feeling unsteady and clipping lamp posts and kerbs while driving. After experiencing severe headaches, he visited his GP and was immediately referred for an emergency CT scan in hospital, where a mass was discovered on the right side of his brain. READ MORE: 'My son lost all his hair after chemo and would hide when people came over' READ MORE: Inspiring Belfast mum takes on huge challenge after brain tumour removal Further tests confirmed it was glioblastoma , an aggressive and cancerous brain tumour with a typical prognosis of 12 to 18 months. Despite undergoing a partial craniotomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, the tumour regrew, and Nigel sadly died on 28 January 2016, surrounded by his loving family. Luke said: “Brain tumours have left a massive hole in my family’s heart. My dad was such a joyful, enthusiastic person who loved cricket and football, and even represented the Cheshire cricket team. He was also my football coach, and everyone who knew him loved him. “I’ll never forget the time I scored a goal, and he ran up and down the touchline celebrating like we’d won the World Cup. He was always so full of life and energy. Losing him was a huge shock, and I want to do something positive in his memory to help others facing this devastating disease.” Luke, who has been running for three years, completed the Manchester Marathon in 2024, raising £1,900 for Brain Tumour Research. This year, he is pushing himself further by running the Manchester Marathon on 27 April and the Belfast Marathon on 4 May, just one week apart. “My girlfriend lives in Belfast, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to take on a second marathon,” Luke said. “Training has been tough, especially balancing it with work and other commitments, but I'm part of a great running group called Manchester Road Runners who I regularly run with. Thinking about Dad and what he went through helps me keep going. He’d probably think I was crazy for doing two in a week, but I know he'd be so proud of me.” Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002. Luke adds: “It’s shocking how little funding goes into researching brain tumours, especially when it’s the biggest cancer killer of under 40s. I was only 14 when my dad was diagnosed, so I didn’t fully comprehend the situation. There needs to be more awareness of this devastating disease too so people can know what signs to look out for and less families will be impacted like we were.” Carol Robertson, national events manager at Brain Tumour Research, praised Luke’s determination: “Luke’s dedication to running two marathons in a week is truly inspiring. His efforts will help us get closer to finding a cure for all brain tumours. We’ll be cheering him on every step of the way.” To support Luke’s double marathon fundraiser, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/luke-peel-6. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our Be lifestyle newsletter for all the latest showbiz, fashion, beauty, family features and more.