Hospital theatre nurse Ema Sain is getting on her bike to help her patients another way — by cycling 30 miles to raise funds for brain tumour medical research.

The 30-year-old from Dagenham, who works at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel is taking part in the Ford Ride in aid of the Brain Tumour Research charity on May 26.

She sets off from Victoria Embankment in a race on a traffic-free route to South Woodford, then turns around to finish at Tower Bridge.

Cycling with her is her partner Jack Bradley who also works at the Royal London.

“Jack is an athlete, an Ironman who runs marathons,” Ema said. “He wanted to do the 100-mile cycle race but dropped to the 30-mile run to support me, as it’s my first race.

“Our parents will be waiting for us at the finish line at Tower Bridge, so I’m also looking forward to a meal with them afterwards. I just hope more donations come in.”

The couple both work at the trauma unit at Whitechapel and at the Fortius Clinic in Wigmore Street in the West End.

“My dad had brain surgery before I was born,” Ema revealed. “I also have a work colleague whose three-year-old son recently had a brain tumour removed. He’s recovered and is now able to move his arms again.”

Ema’s job has given her a unique insight into brain tumours, which the charity points out is “an indiscriminate disease” which kills more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer.

The charity’s community development manager, Charlie Allsebrook, said: “Surgical techniques have been made possible through research — but sadly there is still a lot of work to do to improve treatment for tumour patients and ultimately to find a cure.”

Brain Tumour Research campaigns for more government investment into brain tumour research to speed up new treatments and to work towards a cure, with 16,000 people each year diagnosed in the UK.

The tumours kill more children than leukaemia, data shows. Just 12 out of every 100 people diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years, compared to more than half for all other cancers combined.