PEAKY Blinders' star Cillian Murphy, rock band Coldplay, cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy and TV's Lorraine Kelly are among stars who have donated hats to help a Stourbridge mum raise vital funds for brain tumour research.
Children's author Katie Smith is on a mission to raise £90,000 for Brain Tumour Research - having been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour herself in 2015 shortly after marrying husband Luke.
Since then brave Katie, aged 34, has undergone surgery twice, given birth to son Eli, now two, and raised more than £25,000 to date for Brain Tumour Research to help fund greater research into the condition which threatens to kill her before her 40th birthday.
She said: "I'm completely horrified that it kills more children and more people under 40 than any other cancer - and yet they haven't come up with any new treatment for brain tumours since 1999."
Katie, who lives in Stourbridge's Old Quarter, has been fundraising for nearly a year to raise awareness and money for the charity and she said: "The people of Stourbridge have been hugely generous, and we've had an awful lot of support from family and friends. They've been absolutely incredible, we couldn't have done it without them. Someone ran the London Marathon for us, we've had quiz nights, coffee mornings, lots of bucket collections, someone did a bike ride round the UK and Luke is hoping to do a snowboarding challenge."
Susan Castle-Smith, head of PR for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are so grateful to Katie for her ongoing commitment to help raise awareness of the issues around brain tumours. Like many patients, she lives with a very uncertain future.
"In the face of this prognosis, she continues to campaign with us to lobby the Government and the larger cancer charities to increase the national investment in research."
As part of the fundraising mission - she and Luke, who go by the campaign name Brainstorm uk, have organised a charity ball with a celebrity hat auction after writing to dozens of celebrities and lurking outside stage doors in the hope stars of stage, screen and the music, comedy and sports worlds would donate hats to auction off to raise funds.
To date, more than 40 celebrities have donated signed hats including Peaky Blinders' star Cillian Murphy, rock band Coldplay, cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly who Katie first met when she won Lorraine's Top Tales competition in 2016 which led to the release of her first children's novel The Pumpkin Project.
TV stalwart Lorraine invited Katie on her show to give an update on her condition last week and duly donated an autographed bright pink cowboy hat for the Brainstorm auction which will take place at a charity ball at Villa Park, Birmingham, on December 6.
Katie, a former teacher, has also received signed hats from Slade frontman Noddy Holder, comedy stars Dawn French and Keith Lemon, Welsh former international rugby union player Sam Warburton, BBC Midlands Today host Nick Owen, pop stars The Vamps and Bastille, Justin Fletcher (aka Mr Tumble), the team behind the Glastonbury music festival and BBC presenter and adventurer Will Millward who has donated his 'lucky hat'.
Katie said: "It has been all around the world with him. That's one of my favourites as he's given up something really special to him."
A cap sent in by Peaky Blinders' star Cillian Murphy also ranks among the most prized donations for the auction.
Katie said: "We found out Peaky Blinders were filming at the Black Country Living Museum so we wrote to Cillian Murphy. We didn't think for one minute that we would get a hat from him but three days later on Twitter we got a message from his assistant. That's going to raise a significant amount."
Katie says she is still in the market for further hat donations - and she would especially love it if rock legend Robert Plant was to donate one.
The hats and a host of other high value items will be auctioned off by Bargain Hunt's Philip Serrell at the December event at Aston Villa FC.
Katie said: "It's going to be a really good night."
Anyone unable to attend but still wishing to place a bid for a hat can send in a commission bid via Facebook site Brainstorm uk.
Tickets for the bash are priced £60 and include a three-course meal, reception drink, live music and magic performances and they are available from Katie via the site or people can contact her via Twitter - @katiecake13.
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