Our dad, James McPherson, has spent his entire life showing up for others. Whether he was running into danger as a firefighter, inspiring the future as a primary school teacher, or raising money for charity through marathons and parachute jumps, he has always been the first to help and the last to ask for anything in return.

Recently, Dad was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain tumour. The average life expectancy for this diagnosis is just 12–15 months and at 46 years old, we are not ready for his story to end here.

As a family, we aren't ready to accept those numbers. Dad has so much more to live for—not just for me (25) and my brother Cameron (20), but for our youngest brother, who is only 6 years old.

There is a glimmer of hope in the form of the ADCV vaccine (DCVax-L). This immunotherapy is designed to train the body to attack the cancer cells in the brain. It has the potential to grant us the one thing money usually can’t buy: more time. However, this treatment is not available on the NHS. It is only accessible privately and costs tens of thousands of pounds.

Growing up, we watched Dad always step up for charity—marathons, abseils, and skydives. To raise the funds needed for his treatment, I have decided to walk in his footsteps and complete a series of challenges in his honour.

The First Challenge: I will be abseiling from the Falkirk Wheel on March 22nd, 2026.

The Second Challenge: Skydiving 10,000ft from a plane on May 4th, 2026.

This is just the beginning. I want to work through the same list of challenges he once conquered to show him that we are fighting just as hard for him as he has always fought for his community and his family.

We are asking for your support to help give a father, a teacher, and a firefighter a fighting chance.

Donate: Any amount, no matter how small, goes directly toward the cost of the ADCV vaccine, private medical care and any associated costs.

Share: Please share this page with your network. The more people who see Dad’s story, the closer we get to our goal.

Thank you for your kindness, your donations, and for helping us keep our family together.