Painting the city for charity

Orange Thumbs team members Chris Tranter, Garry Lawton, Perry Gregory and Scott Lillis prepare for the 300km run at Hinkler Central to raise funds and awareness for brain injury and brain trauma research.

Max Fleet

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FORMER groundskeeper Garry Lawton has no green thumb, but you couldn't possibly mistake his two freshly painted orange thumbnails.

No, it is not an attempt to get in touch with his feminine side, but rather a way of bringing about awareness of a more serious issue - brain tumours and injuries.

Mr Lawton, 55, started the charity organisation Orange Thumbs this year to help raise awareness and funds for research.

"It is a local-based charity with the idea when anyone sees an orange thumb, it spreads awareness," he said.

The brain tumour survivor is so passionate about the condition that he is gearing up to run the equivalent of seven marathons - nearly 300km in total - on a treadmill at Hinkler Central shopping centre.

"This year I'm doing seven runs in seven days," he said.

"I'm doing half-hour stints of 5km throughout the day, and then I can get off and talk to people."

The fundraising target this year is about $10,000, and Mr Lawton hopes for 7000 or more thumbs to be painted the distinctive orange colour.

Of the funds raised, 40% will go to the neurology unit at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, and the remaining 60% will go directly to helping and supporting those with brain tumours and injuries.

Mr Lawton certainly looks the part of a marathon runner - fit and energetic with matching orange shoelaces on his left shoe.

"That reminds me to keep my leg straight and lift it when it gets tired," he said.

"Every time I see that, I remember the friends I've lost - that motivates me all the time."

But the affects of brain tumours have hit closer to home for Mr Lawton, who has battled them for 19 years.

"I've had three myself, but I spoke to someone yesterday and he's had eight - I think I'm lucky," he said.

"It's pretty vicious - when it's in your brain, chances are pretty slim.

"There's no rhyme or reason why you get one."

Mr Lawton said his mental strength and motivation for the tough physical challenge stemmed from the people he had met along the journey.

"I just think of people I see in hospital, young men who have families - I wonder what's happened to them," he said.

When Mr Lawton was first diagnosed with a tumour, his son Dean was only three.

"You always have it in the back of your mind they'll never get to know you," he said.

"But he's gotten to know me."

To cheer Mr Lawton on, visit Hinkler Central from today through to next Saturday.