Friend’s Daily Handstand Challenge Raises Thousands After Brain Tumour Diagnosis

By Charities Correspondent

When illness turned Ellis Healy’s life upside down, his best friend Harry Clesham decided to do the same — by committing to a handstand every day throughout 2026 to raise money for charity.

Harry, who lives in southwest London, has already raised more than £2,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity, sharing daily videos of his challenge on Instagram from locations including pubs, pavements, gyms and holiday destinations.

His balance has improved so much that he can now walk a few steps on his hands.

The pair met as students at the University of Leicester in 2011, bonding during Freshers’ Week and through the university rugby team. After graduating, both worked in London’s tech sector, and Harry later became a groomsman and Master of Ceremonies at Ellis’s wedding in 2024.

Ellis, now 33, has faced health challenges since childhood after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 11.

While awaiting surgery in his twenties, he was rushed to hospital with an intestinal blockage that was found to be a tumour. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and treated with six rounds of chemotherapy.

Further scans later revealed a brain tumour, triggering a series of serious complications.

Ellis said: “I was due to have keyhole surgery to treat my Crohn’s but ended up having four lots of surgery and two bouts of sepsis which triggered a cardiac arrest.

“I was discharged with a wearable defibrillator vest and was one of the first patients in the UK to use one. I had to wear it for 24 hours a day, including at work and at the gym which was awkward.”

Before starting brain tumour treatment, Ellis needed a permanent defibrillator implant. He then suffered three seizures in one night.

Ellis continued: “I had my first seizure while I was asleep. It woke my wife who called an ambulance which arrived within 10 minutes. They gave me a sedative which stopped the seizure, but I had another one a short while later and another one in the ambulance.”

Six months later, Ellis underwent an awake craniotomy to remove a grade 2 to 3 astrocytoma and is now recovering.

Throughout his friend’s illness, Harry remained a constant source of support — from humour during hospital treatment to camping trips when Ellis was well enough.

The fundraising idea was born during a walk along the Jurassic Coast.

Harry said: “Ellis has been an exceptional friend and we’ve been close pals ever since we met. His strength, humour and resilience throughout have been nothing short of inspiring - I truly haven’t met anyone like him. He’s one of a kind.

“The challenge was born after Ellis and I spent two days walking together along the Jurassic Coast. We talked about what he was going through, how he was feeling and what I could do to support him in a meaningful way. During those conversations, Ellis said that if I were to raise money for a cause, he would want it to be for The Brain Tumour Charity.”

Ellis added: “I mentioned The Brain Tumour Charity because their website and leaflets provide all the information you need to know - not just about living with the illness but also how to prepare for what’s next and how to overcome some of the challenges you’re going to face.

“It's just a really good single point of reference so I’ve used it a lot and it’s been very helpful for my family to understand it as well, in their own time.”

Harry continues to document his challenge online while fundraising via JustGiving.

Harry said: “The rule is simple: no matter what the day brings, there is always time to show up for this cause. This challenge is about more than handstands. It is about standing alongside a friend as he recovers from brain tumour surgery, raising awareness of the impact brain tumours have on individuals and their families, and supporting the research, care and services provided by The Brain Tumour Charity.

"I will keep going, one day, one handstand and one donation at a time, for Ellis and for everyone affected by brain tumours.”

TO SEE MORE ABOUT THE BRAIN TUMOUR CHARITY CLICK HERE

You can support Harry’s fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/officialhandstandharry – and watch his daily handstand videos on Instagram @officialhandstandharry.