Kuwarna ruckman Reilly O’Brien knows the horrible impact brain cancer can have on a person who’s diagnosed, as well as their families.

That is why the 29-year-old was proud to be involved with handing over a donation from the Crows Foundation to the NeuroSurgical Research Foundation.

The foundation’s $30,000 donation will be put towards tackling childhood brain cancer.

“The Crows Foundation - Lou McDonald and the team there - had a fundraiser and raised money for NeuroSurgical Research Foundation, which aims to find a cure for brain cancer and childhood brain cancer,” O’Brien said.

“There’s so many families, that I know personally as well, who are affected by brain cancer and it’s a pretty grim diagnosis at the moment, so it’s amazing to see the research being done and be able to contribute to that in a small way.”

O’Brien and teammate Charlie Edwards swapped their footy boots for lab coats during a visit to the UniSA Centre for Cancer Biology earlier this month, and handed over the donation.

The Kuwarna ruck, who has taken a lead role as an ambassador for the Crows Foundation’s Open Parachute Mental Health Program, says it is important to give back to the community.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

“It’s a privilege to be an AFL player and we are so lucky to do what we do and the things that come with it, so I feel we have a responsibility to give back,” O’Brien said.

“I’ve felt that the older I’ve gotten and the more years I’ve played, so I love being involved in whatever way I can.”

Centre for Cancer Biology Lead Researcher/Associate Professor Quenten Schwarz explained what the donation would go towards funding.

“With current therapies once you are diagnosed, the outcomes are horrible, you're treating a child when their brain is still growing and hitting them with all the therapies you can,” he said.

“Using advanced stem cell modelling, (the) team is uncovering which genetic mutations lead to brain cancer. 

"If we can understand how and why it arises, then we can develop new therapies to treat the disease - or even stop it happening in the first place.”