MARK and Kirralee Hughes have been humbled and inspired by the number of people donating blood and tissue samples to the Brain Cancer Biobank funded by their foundation.
Mr Hughes said with the support of the Hunter Cancer Biobank they had been building a "massive library" of tumour tissues and blood samples that research teams in the Hunter - and across Australia - could access and study to find some much-needed answers.
The whole brain donations were part of that growing library. So far, 17 people had donated to the program, with many more makings plans to donate.
On this issue: Meet the brain cancer patients donating their brains to Mark Hughes Foundation biobank in bid to improve survival rates for others
"They are leaving a legacy," Mr Hughes said.
"Without these amazing people having the courage to do this for us, we wouldn't be getting where we are.
"We can sell all these beanies and raise all this money, but if we haven't got these giving, courageous people doing this, we are not getting anywhere.
"These people are true heroes, and so are their families, for giving this gift to us in what is an absolutely diabolical time in their lives."
Buy a beanie to support the cause: Mark Hughes Foundation beanies now on sale
Mrs Hughes said the whole brain donations gave cancer researchers a lot more information that could help them identify better treatment options and improve outcomes.
She said the people who had donated to the program so far found it therapeutic to know their gift might help others.
"It is their way of investing in the Mark Hughes Foundation to help us, even after their death," Mrs Hughes said.
"And those tissue samples and blood donations will be used for years and years to come."
