LEGENDARY EFFORT: Emma Sinclair and her mother Toni Edwards before beginning their 10 kilometre Walk 4 Brain Cancer at Lake Forbes on Sunday. Insets - Amy Sinclair; Tom Sinclair and Laura Jones. Photo: KRISTY WILLIAMS.

Emma Sinclair's defiant fight against brain cancer continued on Sunday, with the 33-year-old taking part in the Walk 4 Brain Cancer event.

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In last week's Parkes Champion Post, we told you about Emma's journey over the past year since being diagnosed with brain cancer, and her insistence on improving the outcomes for herself and others led her to spearhead a fundraising effort through the Walk 4 Brain Cancer charity.

The event aims to raise vital funds for both research and awareness of brain cancer - and instead of a few large events, COVID-19 forced participants to complete it themselves.

Emma completed 10 kilometres around Lake Forbes on Sunday with her mother Toni Edwards - a mammoth effort for someone still recovering and using a walker to get around.

At the same time, Emma's family members were also completing 10 kilometres of their own, with her sister Amy walking in Sydney from La Perouse to Maroubra and brother Tom trekking in the beachy bliss of Cronulla.

Emma said she was proud of her accomplishment, though she may have been feeling a little worse for wear on Monday!

"I was very tired and sore afterwards, but was very proud for making it 10 kilometres, which is a huge achievement with the walker," she said.

Importantly, Emma has now raised over $8000, another huge achievement in itself.

"The original goal was $1000 and I thought I'd struggle getting that.

"I want to thank everyone who donated, because we are currently sitting at $8378 - which is incredible.

"The donation page will stay open until the end of the year, and thank you so much for your support to unite in the fight against brain cancer," Emma said.

It takes a village as they say, and Emma was keen to show her gratitude for the support she's had during her journey since undergoing major neurosurgery last year.

"Dr Mark Dexter (neurosurgeon) and his whole team, the ICU staff at Westmead Private, CanAssist, the oncology teams in Parkes and Orange and my family and friends have all been incredible."

CanAssist in Parkes and Forbes do amazing work for people with cancer in our area, and could also do with some donations as well so they can continue their great work.

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One thing we can take from this experience is that we can all learn a little more about tumours and brain cancer.

According to the government's free health advice website, healthdirect.gov.au, when cells grow abnormally in the brain they may form a lump called a tumour.

Tumours can be benign or malignant.

A benign tumour grows and stays in one place, isn't cancerous and is unlikely to spread to another part of your body, though it can still cause damage by pressing on your brain.

A malignant tumour is cancerous. It can spread to other areas of your brain, or your body and can also be called brain cancer.

Unfortunately, it's not known what causes brain tumours, and they can occur at any age regardless of how healthy an individual may be.

There are also many different types of brain cancer, which is another reason why symptoms and outcomes are hard to pin down.

We can't really give you a list of symptoms, because every type sees a different reaction in people, and depends both on the type, and where it is in the brain.

The most common types of brain cancers are astrocytomas (which Emma has), meningiomas and oligodendrogliomas.

Each year, about 1,700 people are diagnosed with brain cancer in Australia, including about 130 children.

Sadly brain cancer has a poor survival rate. Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

In welcome news earlier this week, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said a new grant round would help Australia's world-leading researchers to continue to strive for the Mission's goal to defeat brain cancer.

Australians living with the most common and deadliest form of brain cancer will be given new hope thanks to a patient-focused clinical trial for Australians with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).

The government's Australian Brain Cancer Mission, in partnership with the Minderoo Foundation and the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation (CBCF), has opened a grant opportunity for researchers to undertake the GBM Adaptive Global Innovative Learning Environment (GBM AGILE) trial for the first time in this country.

"New cases of brain cancer are increasing each year and GBM accounts for 45 per cent of all malignant brain tumours," Mr Hunt said.

"In 2020, 2,000 Australians were diagnosed with brain cancer and tragically, less than a quarter will be alive in five years.

"The Australian Brain Cancer Mission aims to turn these statistics around, double survival rates and improve the quality of life of patients with brain cancer," said Mr Hunt.

Now, what can we take out of all this?

Certainly, one of the prescient themes in this story in that this can happen to anyone, at any age despite superlative health.

You could start writing down the old affirmations of 'live each moment as if it were your last' and 'live life to the fullest' - but we'll leave the final word to Emma.

"I may have brain cancer, but brain cancer doesn't have me."

So no matter what may or may not befall you in the future, keep that inner strength.

The fight against brain cancer is real, but every step, every dollar and every mind that learns more is a small victory in that war.