Double World Drumming Record Holder Ali Brown Smashes World Record For Third Time
Ali Brown on Friday, July 21st at 21.06hrs beat the existing world record by drumming continuously for more than 134 hours and five minutes. He then went on to achieve an amazing 150 hours at 1pm on Saturday, July 22nd. Once verified and the paperwork and witnesses checked, he will enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the third time.
The event, which started early on Sunday, July 16th has seen Ali drum almost continuously through night and day with friends, family, supporters, and physios calling to the Lisburn Music Centre to boost morale, keep him awake, and ease the pain.
He has taken on this epic endurance event in memory of his late partner Sharon Deegan who he lost to pancreatic cancer in January 2021 aged 49.
Funds raised for NIPANC will be invested into raising awareness about the symptoms of the disease, research, and supporting families who face a diagnosis of this devastating illness.
Allister is also donating half the proceeds to the UK charity, Mind after struggling with mental ill health after nursing Sharon for over three years before she died.
Pancreatic Cancer Surgeon and NIPANC Board Member Mark Taylor said: “We are all in awe of Ali and his ability to endure for this length of time. I’ve been calling in and out of the Lisburn Music Centre all week as well as watching him drum into the small hours of the morning on Drumathon Live.
“I know the dark hours just before dawn have been particularly difficult for him. Simply incredible what he is doing, and boy has he put pancreatic cancer awareness on the map; potentially helping to save lives. From all of us at NIPANC, Ali, a huge congratulations on this major achievement. Sharon would be so proud.”
Ali said: “I can’t thank people enough for all the support they have shown me over the past five days. My family, my friends, and my amazing support team have kept me going when the going on occasions got really tough. They have kept me watered, fed, and awake.
“It’s thanks to them and all the support I have received from people, including strangers coming in to wish me well that I’ve managed to come this far. I really wanted to raise as much awareness about these two causes which are so close to my heart and I believe, together we’ve achieved that. I’m also grateful to the physiotherapists who have given up their free time and skills to help me out.”
He explained: “I have trained myself for the last ten months to cope with sleep deprivation by staying awake for 24 hours at weekends so my body and mind can get used to it."
“Guinness rules allow a five-minute break every hour which you can save up and it all has to be recorded and verified, so I accumulated the time to eat, take bathroom breaks and have power naps when I most needed them later in the week.”
Duncan Campbell, who previously played in the band, Universal Remedy with Ali and has been his friend for 30-years has played the lead role in ensuring his friend’s success.
“I’ve helped Ali through the last two world record attempts. We’ve both learned so much since then about nutrition and the art of distraction in helping to keep him awake and performing. All the things like caffeine and sugar you would think would help, don’t because of the crash that comes after. We’ve paid attention to what he eats, hydration, and when he sleeps. Learning from the last two has really helped with this.”
Ali has so far raised over £20,000 - but it's not too late to make a donation.
You can still donate HERE
If you donate a minimum of £5 you could be in with a chance of winning a Jobeky Snare Drum worth well over £200.
How to Win:
Donate £5 or more at Ali’s JustGiving page and include the word SNARE in your donation message to enter the competition. Your generous donation not only supports an incredible cause but also enters you into the competition.
The Draw:
Ali Brown will personally draw the lucky winner from the list of generous donors. The winner will be announced by the end of July 2023, and it could be YOU!
(IF YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE A DONATION YOU CAN STILL BE ENTERED INTO THE DRAW BY DROPPING ALI A MESSAGE ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE)
GET TO KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF PANCREATIC CANCER BY CLICKING HERE