Welcome
As we step into another edition of our newsletter, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to those who have supported our work in the past year. Your generosity and kindness make a life-changing difference to people with cancer when they need it most.
We understand that times are challenging for many, and with NHS budgets more stretched than ever, your support has never been more vital. Thanks to your generosity, we are grateful to share that we raised more than last year, allowing us to fund even more projects at UCLH. This means more patients are receiving the best possible care and comfort during their treatment and even more staff are supported.
A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our scalp cooling appeal and to Unique Sports Group, whose unbelievable generosity has enabled us to purchase two scalp cooling units —giving more patients the chance to reduce and even prevent hair loss during chemotherapy, preserving confidence during a challenging time.
Your ongoing support makes this and so much more possible. Thank you.
With gratitude,
The Cancer Fund team
Make a Regular Donation!
Many of our supporters have been asking how they can make a regular donation to support improvements within the cancer division at UCLH. We are delighted to share the news that you can now do this simply by visiting our website!
Making a regular donation makes it a lot easier to support our work consistently without the hassle of remembering to donate each time. It’s a convenient way to pre-plan where your contribution goes and allows you to support our work with a regular gift. For us, it enables us to better predict our income and plan our funding commitments to ensure your gift goes where it is most needed.
A look back at our year
Thanks to the generosity and dedication of our donors, and wonderful staff who have supported us with their own fundraising, our income has increased by 60% compared to last year.
At the same time, applications for funding have increased, so it is imperative that we are able to meet this demand. This growth in income has enabled us to fund even more projects, continue to improve the environment for both patients and staff, and make a real difference to cancer services at UCLH. Every donation, big or small, has contributed to this achievement, and we are incredibly grateful for your continued support.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to funding four key areas and are excited about the opportunities this growth brings. We have already confirmed a new project, to create a much needed 'quiet' patient room at Westmoreland Street Hospital, and will continue to work with patients and staff to understand where funding is needed most urgently. Together, we can reach even more people and create lasting positive change.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. Let’s continue making a difference together.
Leaving a gift in your will
With more and more people living with cancer each year, your gift is needed more than ever.
Many people choose to include UCLH Charity Cancer Fund in their will and leave a lasting legacy by which they will be remembered. In fact, 20% of our income comes from legacies, meaning that 1 in 5 projects we fund are made possible due to gifts in wills.
Whether you choose to leave a fixed sum or a percentage of your estate (the value of everything you own), it will make a huge difference. Leaving a gift of just 1% of your estate to the Cancer Fund can help us to fund life-saving research, state-of-the-art equipment, or transformational projects at UCLH with national impact.
With your help, we can continue to provide the clinical and holistic support that’s so incredibly important for those living with cancer.
If you would like more information about leaving a gift in your will please get in touch with David, our Fundraising Manager, at david.milsom1@nhs.net or 07977 191780
Ongoing prostate cancer research
The Cancer Fund is delighted to continue our support for the ongoing work of Zaf Tandogdu, Urologist and Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgeon, and his team.
Their work to improve outcomes for prostate cancer patients who undergo robotic surgery is demonstrating great results. The team are now keen to ensure the model they are using can be adopted widely across the NHS, especially for trusts who don’t have access to large clinical teams. Early findings have shown AI assisted triage to be very effective in reducing the time and resources needed in the early stages of creating a “surgical road-map” for each patient. As part of this work, the team are collating results from MRI scans of those who have had prostate cancer surgery. This will enable them to gather a bank of data to inform the next steps of developing an AI engine. We will keep you posted about progress!
Supporting the world-leading TRACERx Lung Cancer Study
The Cancer Fund are proud to be supporting the world leading TRACERx study, thanks to fundraising by the ‘Young Lungs’ team, led by Sarah Li.
Sarah, who is being treated at UCLH for EGFR+ lung cancer, received a Stage IV diagnosis earlier this year. She is raising money for ongoing studies that are turning a Stage IV lung cancer diagnosis into a chronic disease.
“The TRACERx (TRAcking Cancer Evolution through Therapy) study is an observational study aimed at understanding the evolution of lung cancer. Researchers track how tumours develop and evolve over time by analysing the genetic mutations in both primary and metastatic tumours (those that have spread). The study also examines the interaction of the immune system with cancer cells, and how this relationship may influence treatment outcomes. TRACERx involves the comprehensive collection of clinical data, tumour/normal tissue, and blood samples from patients, helping researchers uncover new insights into the biology of lung cancer and improve early detection, treatment, and prevention strategies.” - Dr Maise Al Bakir, Cellular therapy consultant & Oncologist.
The study, which has been going since 2014, is a flagship study for Cancer Research UK, headed by Professor Charles Swanton at University College London and The Francis Crick Institute.
Sarah’s partner Robin raised an amazing £4,232.80 for the TRACERx study by running the Valencia marathon in December. Now the team have taken on the Isle of Wight 50km Challenge, helping to raise over £13,000, alongside friends and family.
“I am a runner. I have run half marathons, full marathons, Tough Guy, Zombie Runs, 10k’s. Lung cancer, however, took this ability away from my body. But it hasn’t taken away my desire to be outdoors, covering ground on foot! My life has been lived by setting myself a new challenge and training towards it. So why stop now?” - Sarah Li
Patient amenity kits
“Our staff greatly appreciate the charity helping us put a smile on our patients’ faces and ensuring they feel welcomed and comfortable to stay at UCLH. Also, a massive thank you to the Cancer Fund team for going above and beyond to help improve our complementary services on T13!”
Superhero Sleep Buddies
A huge thank you again to our friends at Scamp and Dude, who donated teddies for our young patients. The cuddly ‘Superhero Buddies’ use their superpowers to reassure children having general anaesthetic for their radiotherapy treatment. They even have a special pocket for a photo of a loved one, so children feel less isolated in hospital.
BIO-INTERLACE: Improving treatment for cervical cancer
We're funding research into improving treatment outcomes for patients with cervical cancer.
The BIO-INTERLACE study, with Dr Gemma Eminowicz, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at UCLH, is looking at ways to predict how well patients with advanced cervical cancer respond to treatment. In the earlier INTERLACE trial, researchers investigated outcomes from treating patients with chemotherapy before their main treatment of chemoradiation (chemotherapy and radiotherapy). As part of this, researchers collected tissue samples from about 260 patients. By studying these samples, they hope to find biological markers - specific features in the cancer cells - that can show who will respond well to treatment, and who might be at higher risk of the cancer coming back.
If successful, this research could help doctors personalise treatment by identifying patients who would benefit more from initial chemotherapy, and finding those who might need different treatments, like immunotherapy.
In the future, researchers also plan to use advanced genetic testing techniques to identify other potential indicators for how patients will respond to treatment.
If you would like to support this research with a donation to the Cancer Fund, or for more information please get in touch.
The gift of giving back
Andrew has been a patient at the UCLH Cancer Centre for ten years. He’s developed a very close and positive relationship with his clinical team and has also become involved with the work of the Support and Information Service team at UCLH, and more recently the Cancer Fund.
He says he finds it rewarding to be able to give something back in appreciation of the care, treatment and support he’s received at UCLH, whether it be in the form of volunteering or financial support.
He’s written a food and recipe booklet for head and neck cancer patients, which is available in the Patient Lounge, and he gives a piano recital once a month in the ground floor reception area of the UCLH Cancer Centre. Recently, Andrew gave a donation to support the purchase of nebulisers. Nebulisers deliver humidified air or medicated mist directly to the airways, helping head and neck cancer patients by soothing irritated tissues, easing breathing, and reducing the risk of airway obstruction or infection after treatments like surgery or radiotherapy.
“I also wanted to make a financial donation to the UCLH Cancer Fund but I wanted to direct it to some aspect of the work of the head and neck cancer team. To be able to support the provision of nebulisers was exactly the kind of giving I was looking for, and it’s really encouraging to know how my donation will help.” - Andrew Gaylor
“The kindness of this donation has made such a positive impact for our head and neck patients. It has allowed our patients, especially those who may be facing financial difficulties, to manage the side effects caused by treatment for head and neck cancer very effectively.” - Jon Earley, Lead Oncology Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist.
ASCO GI conference
Umair Mahmood, Research Fellow in the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, recently presented findings from his team’s competitively selected study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI). The research study, led by Dr Khurum Khan, explored outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients treated with long-term chemotherapy.
“It was a privilege to represent UCLH at the ASCO GI 2025 to showcase our outstanding GI Oncology service at the largest premier conference in this specialty and inform new findings in the field of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Our presentation was very well received by the global audience, where we identified promising clinical metrics aiding physicians to refine patient selection and optimize PDAC treatment strategies. These will inform physicians in the future to better counsel specific PDAC patients about the benefits of long-term chemotherapy vs recommending others to partake in clinical trials and avoid chemotherapy-specific toxicities.”
Conferences such as the ASCO GI Cancers Symposium provide an ideal platform to interact with key opinion leaders, which has now led to the development of a new collaboration between UCLH and the University of Oxford. Umair is looking forward to proactively driving this alliance involving the GI Oncology teams at both institutions.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the Cancer Fund for supporting our presentation which has been instrumental in promoting our research efforts. The Cancer Fund team has been incredibly kind and supportive both during our interactions and with our conference presentation sponsorship request, which has translated into promising results for patients being cared for at our institution. Attending the ASCO GI Cancers Symposium has been an invaluable experience for me as a Research Fellow which has re-affirmed my aspiration of training as an academic oncologist aiming to make transformative advancements in cancer patient care.” - Umair Mahmood
What else have you helped us fund this year?
Two staff positions, designed to support patients in every stage of their cancer treatment; the new Prostate Cancer Buddy role, supporting African-Caribbean men to access treatment for prostate cancer, plus a dedicated Mental Health Practitioner for young adults.
Walking football sessions with Arsenal in the Community, designed to provide holistic care from physical and emotional wellbeing to community support.
Complementary Therapies provided for young people, as well as comforting amenity kits for in-patients. We continue to fund the bell ringing experience for children celebrating milestones in their treatment, and arts and Crafts classes for children and young patients.
Specialist education for staff in the cancer division, including courses in Independent Prescribing, X-Ray survival, Cardio-Oncology nursing, Paediatric Proton Beam Therapy, managing cancer related pain and more, as well as conferences on a range of specialist subjects.
“The UCLH Cancer Fund kindly funded my recent complex cancer pain course at the Marsden. I look after lots of patients in difficult pain every day and the course has been so helpful in providing better knowledge around different drugs to use, and also lots of opportunities to network with colleagues from other trusts. This is so helpful for my day-to-day job and will make a big difference to my patients. Thanks so much UCLH Cancer Fund” - Suzy Day, Sarcoma Clinical Nurse Specialist
Snack, book and boredom trolleys across the trust, and Wi-Fi for our children's ward, to keep families connected. Our new VR headsets are both a welcome distraction during treatment, and great entertainment for patients on the wards.
New, and already very popular, movie nights for children. Having a chance to relax, focus on something other than treatment, and spend some quality time together is so important for children being treated for cancer on our wards. The play specialist team and clinical staff are absolutely brilliant in supporting them to do this, and we’re proud to be able to support the activities they choose.
Zumba classes for staff, as well as keeping staff rooms stocked with the essentials.
Of course, much of our funding continues to go towards advanced medical equipment, from medical training aids, to vein finders, chemotherapy pumps and wheelchairs.
There are plenty more exciting projects on the horizon, like a new quite room for Westmoreland Street Hospital, and equipment for assessing and monitoring motor ability for paediatric patients. Sign up for our e-newsletter to keep up to date.
Up Yours Cancer
Stevenage resident, musician, and music teacher, Steve Young, made global news back in 2024 as one of the first people in the world to receive a revolutionary new mRNA cancer jab for melanoma.
He said, “If it helps the cause, I’m happy to be a human pin cushion, and hopefully one day cancer will just be another boring subject in school history lessons”. Steve was even invited to meet King Charles III and the Queen Consort during their visit to the UCLH Cancer Centre.
We were thrilled to join Steve, alongside a whole troupe of talented musicians, for his fundraising gig ‘Up Yours Cancer’ in February. The line-up featured an incredible roster of local artists and singers, plus special guest 80’s legend Nik Kershaw!
Through on the night donations, ticket sales and raffle, Steve raised an amazing £5,071.15 for cancer services at UCLH.
Well done team Cancer Fund!
This Spring four brilliant runners took on the London Landmarks Half Marathon: Well done Gideon, Charlotte, Andrew, and Lallita, and Ollie, for your fundraising! We also had three incredible fundraisers take on the TCS London Marathon 2025 - together they raised over £60,000!
“I'm running the London Landmarks Half Marathon 2025 in memory of my amazing Grandma, who bravely underwent cancer treatment and surgery at UCLH. They did an amazing job. Sadly, more recently, she very suddenly passed away and we all miss her very much. This incredible hospital, with its dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff, provided her with outstanding care during such a challenging time. To honour her memory and support this amazing team, I’m raising funds to help UCLH continue their life-saving work.” - Gideon Moss, who ran in memory of Frances Moss
“Hi!! My names Charlotte and I’m running the London Landmarks half marathon because I wanted to get back into running and fitness after my surgery and treatment for thyroid cancer in September. I’m raising money for the UCLH Cancer Fund to give back as they gave so much to me during my treatment and present day. This is a BIG thank you to the Cancer Fund:)” - Charlotte Gregory
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear parachutes! Congratulations to Jade and Florence, who took a huge leap for cancer services at UCLH – completing a skydive! The duo raised an amazing £1,300.
“Thank you so much to you guys for supporting me throughout everything and glad I managed to do something as good as this to try and help another person in the same position” - Jade Dunmore
Plus, good luck to our team for the upcoming Hackney Half Marathon - we can't wait to cheer you on!
“I'm running for my incredible colleagues on T13, for the opportunities this fund provides for patients, and as always, I'm doing it for Daisy [Elinor’s cousin]” - Elinor Bardrick, Senior Staff Nurse
Fundraising for childhood cancer
In our last issue, we shared a story about Imran and Natasha, who are raising money for children’s cancer services at UCLH, while their son Aaran is being treated for Ewing sarcoma. Imran shares Aaran’s story as he prepared for his biggest fundraising challenge, the London Marathon.
“UCLH’s cancer treatment and support to patients is incredible. Our son, ten-year old Aaran, rang the bell on March 22nd after 14 cycles of chemotherapy to treat a rare and aggressive bone cancer called Ewings sarcoma. We have been impressed and humbled by the excellent medical and all-round care patients receive, as well as the resilience that cancer patients show.” - Imran
To support the work of UCLH, the family engaged in a big fundraising drive, with the support of friends and family from around the globe. Fundraising events have included a half marathon in Almaty, Kazakhstan, a sponsored children’s bike ride in Nairobi, Kenya, office events in Washington DC and Kazakhstan, as well as a dear colleague removing his beloved moustache after being firmly attached to it for nearly a decade.
Each event was supported by a group of dedicated friends who made incredible efforts to raise awareness and show how creativity can be used to make a difference. Fundraising efforts have raised almost US$58,000, surpassing their initial fundraising target.
These donations are making a huge difference. They have funded wheelchairs for use in the children’s cancer ward and purchased fluid-pumping backpacks for chemotherapy, which allow children to leave the hospital ward without disrupting their treatment. Ongoing funding provides arts and crafts supplies, giving young patients a creative outlet and a way to connect and have fun. In addition, we’re hoping that some of the funding will support the trial of a new healthy grazing menu and a smoothie club to give cancer patients access to good nutrition while receiving treatment.
In September 2024, Imran ran the Almaty half marathon with a great turnout of support from colleagues, who also organised an auction which showcased the artwork of Central Asia. A big thank you to Norbert and all office members for the continued support, as well as a special shout out to Nurdaulet and Ivana for running with Imran in the event.
In January 2025, Team Karura took on a cycle challenge, raising over £10,000! “20 of Aaran’s old school mates from Nairobi held a sponsored bike ride in Karura Forest, a beautiful spot on the edge of Nairobi, where they used to live. With great effort and determination, the children cycled 5km laps.” A big shoutout to Tim, Lynn, Nikki, Jesse, Rashnik, Bhupi, Mridula, Raghav, Nick and Gemma for their efforts organising it all. Some of the children cycled an impressive 30km across the forest!
In February, Natasha’s colleague Dave chopped off his iconic horseshoe moustache, which has long been a fascinating talking point for all who know him. Vicky did a fantastic job of drumming up support from colleagues, which raised over US$8,000.
In March, Imran’s colleagues held a get together of colleagues far and wide in Washington DC and raised over US$10,000 in a huge show of support. A huge thank you to Carolina for hosting the event and to Amanda for coordinating.