A ‘powerful’ video featuring a Sidmouth family has been released to highlight the need for more funding into brain tumour research.

Sidmouth Herald: Kyle Baker has helped to film the video to raise awareness.Kyle Baker has helped to film the video to raise awareness. (Image: Archant)

Charlotte Reid, 17, was diagnosed with rare craniopharyngioma in July 2015 and is trying to raise £20,000 to fund one day of research into conditions like hers.

The teenager has amassed an ‘army’ of online followers as she undergoes treatment for the benign brain tumour - which has left her with poor eyesight and short-term memory among other things.

Her story has now been captured in a four-minute film by Sidford photographer and videographer Kyle Baker ahead of Brain Tumour Research’s awareness day on Friday, March 31.

The Fleming Avenue resident filmed and edited the video in two weeks using shots, photos and voiceovers from Charlotte and her mum Angela.

Kyle said: “My initial idea was to have a big impact to show how close as a family they are and how they are a normal family and how this is an inconvenience to her life.

“I’m hoping for it to have a really big impact, not just on the people in Sidmouth, but hopefully it will travel quite far. She’s such a strong girl and its great that she has that drive.”

As part of the video, Charlotte has called on businesses and schools from across the area to wear a hat on March 31 to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.

Charlotte’s mum Angela said: “It [the video] is very powerful, it’s what we wanted. We wanted to get that message across how things have altered and why we are doing what we are doing.

“We know that Charlotte’s isn’t going to kill her, but the mountains of effects that she has had, they have to be dealt with individually.

“It doesn’t mean that nothing will get better, we are very optimistic. She will get better, given a lot of time. We are talking years rather than months.

“The brain is a difficult organ to research as it’s a living one, but we do feel passionately that it could change more people’s lives if more is known about it.”

To sign up to Wear A Hat Day, visit Brain Tumour Research’s website or Charlotte’s Facebook Page CharlottesArmy – Brain Tumour Warrior, and use the hashtag #CharlottesArmy.

To watch the video, visit www.sidmouthherald.com