"Before Liam fell ill, I never fully understood how devastating brain cancer is, not only for the person diagnosed but also for everyone around them."
Jimmy Roe
“Liam brought a smile to everyone's face but no one’s smile was ever as big as his.”
When brain cancer took the life of Liam Ryan last year, his mate Jimmy Roe wanted to honour his memory and raise money for research.
So he turned his annual Jimbledon Tennis Championships event – a social tournament for friends – into a fundraiser for Brain Cancer Australia.
"Jimbledon felt like the perfect day to celebrate Liam’s life, bringing over 90 people together in the same way he always did,” says Jimmy.
Liam was known for his natural ability to create community.
“He made you feel welcome from the moment he met you. He was uniquely hilarious, often making you laugh in even the most inappropriate settings. He brought a smile to everyone's face but no one’s smile was ever as big as his,” says Jimmy.
Liam was diagnosed with glioblastoma in late 2024. He lost his battle in July last year.
“Even during his illness, he showed incredible resilience, refusing to give up or lose that smile he was so well known for, which left a huge impact on everyone around him.”
For Jimmy, seeing so many people come together in Liam's memory and raising over $2,000 made it an unforgettable and rewarding day..
“It meant the world to me to see everyone donate and participate. It was a fun, slightly chaotic, social day, bringing strangers together for a good cause. Exactly the kind of day Liam would have been the main character in.”
While the event raised funds for brain cancer research and patient care, it also helped raise awareness of the impact of the disease on patients and families.
"Before Liam fell ill, I never fully understood how devastating brain cancer is, not only for the person diagnosed but also for everyone around them. Watching someone you care about go through that changes your perspective on things pretty quickly," Jimmy says.
"If events like Jimbledon can help raise awareness, contribute funds, and keep conversations going, then that's something really worthwhile."
And most of all, Jimmy believes Liam would have loved seeing the event bring people together.
"I know Liam would have been stoked to see so many people coming together and having so much fun for such an important cause."
To add your support to the Jimbledon fundraiser, you can make a donation here: https://www.braincanceraustralia.org.au/fundraisers/jamesroe
Interested in organising a fundraiser for Brain Cancer Australia? Email info@braincanceraustralia.org.au for information and ideas.
