Memory of son drives mother's fundraising mission

A mother who lost her son to a brain tumour says fundraising has given her a purpose and helps ensure he is never forgotten.

Hayley Bull from St Sampson, Guernsey, has raised more than £22,000 for the Brain Tumour Charity in memory of her son James Robilliard, who died in 2024 aged 33 after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.

She has also established the James Robilliard Fund and continues to organise awareness campaigns and fundraising events.

Although fundraising has become a major part of her life, Bull said grief remained a daily reality and she regularly visited a memorial bench overlooking one of her son's favourite fishing spots.

"I talk to him every day," Bull said.

"We were always very close and suddenly not having him around is just a massive gap."

Bull said her son was about 29 when he began experiencing dizzy spells and other symptoms which were initially believed to be migraines or vertigo.

Doctors diagnosed a brain tumour in November 2020 and Robilliard was transferred to Southampton for treatment and surgery.

Despite periods where he was well enough to return to work and family life, the cancer returned and became more aggressive.

Robilliard died in August 2024, leaving behind his wife Dawn and twin sons, Ed and Sid.

Bull said her son was "young, fit, healthy and positive" and his diagnosis was a shock to her and the family.

"You just don't think it's going to happen to you, but it could happen to any one of us," she said.

Bull added it felt like "part of her" went when her son died.

She said: "You're just existing after that, but I didn't want anybody to forget James."

Bull said one of her motivations for fundraising was improving awareness of brain tumours, which she believed were widely misunderstood.

She said: "People assume brain tumours are so rare, but they're not.

"I've heard so many peoples stories who have had a brain tumour."

One of her latest awareness projects features more than 100 knitted hedgehogs, made with the help of friends and family.

Each hedgehog contains information about Robilliard's story and a QR code linking to fundraising information.

The toys have been hidden around Guernsey and taken overseas by supporters, with some ending up in France, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Bull said she chose hedgehogs because they were cute animals and reflected Robilliard's love of wildlife and nature.

"It's just getting his story out there and spreading awareness," she said.

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