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New care packs set to alleviate stress and pressure for families

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

Funding for new care packs means families admitted to Addenbrooke’s in an emergency with a poorly child no longer need to worry about packing the essentials. They can now concentrate on being by their child’s side where they’re needed most.

Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals regularly have children admitted and transported from outside the region with their parents. These children are often extremely poorly and admitted in emergency situations, and families often arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs having not had the time to even think about packing bags.

Now, thanks to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) and the support of Illumina, families arriving in these situations will receive new emergency care packs filled with essential items such as toiletries, underwear, clothing and sanitary products. These invaluable packs will provide much more than the items inside – they will give families a sense of dignity and support and crucially allow them to do the most important thing at that time – be there at their child’s bedside.

For Stephanie McCrae, Senior Sister in the Children’s Services team at Addenbrooke’s, these packs are essential to the care Addenbrooke’s provides to the whole family in situations like this:

“The emergency care packs will make a significant difference to families who are resident in the hospital with a sick child. Families may have arrived unexpectedly or have an unplanned extended stay with little or no personal belongings. By providing these basic necessities, we can ease some of the immediate stress they face. We are grateful to ACT and our generous corporate sponsors Illumina for funding this project. It’s donations like these that help us offer additional support beyond nursing and medical care.”

Each week it is estimated that at least one family will be admitted to Addenbrooke’s in an emergency with a poorly child needing these essentials because they haven’t been able to prepare or pack in time. That’s more than 360 families every year who are faced with the stress and pressure of this situation. Through Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and Illumina, approximately 550 emergency care packs will be made available which is enough to provide families with essential items for at least the next 18 months.

For Shelly Thake, Chief Executive of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, these packs represent the vital projects that help to make Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie Hospitals even better, and the power of partnerships with supporters like Illumina:

“We are extremely grateful to Illumina for funding the emergency care packs. When children are admitted in emergency situations they are often extremely poorly, and their families or carers simply don’t have time to even think about packing all the essentials before getting to hospital.”

“Sometimes they come straight to hospital and arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs, to then have to think about going out to buy essentials when all they want to do is just be there with their child is just extremely stressful for the family.”

“To now be able to provide enough packs across all the paediatric wards for the next 18 months is amazing. It will ease the pressure and stress the families and carers face and just allow them to do what they want to do – which is be by their child’s side.”

These packs will be available across every children’s ward and emergency department for at least the next 18 months, supporting every family that needs this help.

Clare Kingsley, Senior Director in the Clinical Lab at Illumina Lab Services said:

“Patient experience is important, which is why we align with ACT’s mission. Illumina is proud to support the emergency care packs project. We hope to provide some small comfort with these essential items during what can be a difficult for families and primary carers.”

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust are delighted that staff from Illumina will be downing tools on 21 November to help pack these essential supplies, so that they will be available for families who need them well before Christmas – a time of year when all too many families will see themselves admitted to hospital with a poorly child, and when the time of year only adds to the stress and pressure, making these packs all the more important.

An entire village in Norfolk fundraising for Addenbrooke’s described as ‘one of a kind’

Posted on by Danni Smith

An entire village whose residents have thrown themselves into a year’s worth of fundraising for Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge has been praised for being ‘one of a kind.’ 

Paul Wilby, from Denton in Norfolk, launched his fundraising appeal in January to raise money for Addenbrooke’s Hospital, via Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), as well as Papworth Hospital, after his son became ill with an undiagnosed condition. 

Ben, 34, had been suffering with severe breathlessness for about three years, and had to stop a couple of times to catch his breath every time he climbed a flight of stairs. However, after being encouraged by a paramedic, who had been called out to his home, to keep investigating his condition, Ben was found to have something called Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension caused by blood clots on his lungs. 

He underwent a lifesaving procedure known as a Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty at Papworth Hospital where a balloon was used to push scar tissue to one side, allowing the blood to flow properly again, which returned Ben’s breathing to normal. 

Since starting their fundraising earlier this year, the villagers of Denton have raised just shy of ÂŁ2,000 with events including Easter Bingo; a Tractor Run; Party on the Meadow; Walking Football; and a Plough Day, where 45 tractors from neighbouring villages drove to Hardwick Airfield before returning to Denton to plough five fields in the village. 

Paul White, Director of Communications and Impact at ACT, said: “In all the 20 years I have been working in the charity sector, I don’t think I have ever heard of a whole village mucking in and fundraising like this. It’s only a small village but for everyone to get involved in this way is amazing. Denton really is one of a kind.” 

Fundraiser Paul, a builder who also runs a self-catering accommodation at his home in the village, has lived in Denton for eight years, and said: “It’s like going back 50 years here. Everyone helps everyone else out. If you want or need anything, someone in the village will help. It is a proper community.” 

His wife, Karen, who has lived in the village for nearly 30 years, said: “Literally everybody in the village has been involved with fundraising. Everyone. Everyone comes along and supports things and will chuck money in a pot and if they can’t come, they’ll come and see us and say, ‘sorry we can’t make it but here’s ÂŁ20.’ So if they’re not involved in volunteering, they’re involved by supporting it, giving money or donating raffle prizes. But that’s the type of place Denton is. People keep an eye on each other which is how it should be.” 

The village, which has a population of 326, runs a monthly dinner night and lunch club for residents and also opens up its village hall every Friday night as a social club.  

However, Paul’s latest fundraising venture could cause a few blushes outside the village – with the production of their very own Full Monty-style calendar, where fifteen of the local male residents volunteered to pose naked, with strategically placed items protecting their dignity, all for charity. 

Paul said the recruits came via the village’s Google Group Chat – with photos from the calendar revealed at a special gala night in the village on November 2nd.

He said the calendar doesn’t come with a warning on the front – only with a note at the back to say ‘no Dream Boys or animals were injured during the filming of this calendar’ – but Paul says the front cover ‘gives you a gist of what to expect inside.’ 

Willing contributors include March’s ‘Naked Gardener’ whose dignity is protected by a pitchfork; April’s ‘Rocking Ricky’ who climbed a hay bale to pose naked with a guitar; and Paul himself, who despite being married to Karen, features as July’s ‘Hilary’s Hunk’. 

Explaining the name, Paul said it relates to one of the more memorable moments from the photo shoots.  

“It was my job on all the photo shoots to stand guard to prevent any embarrassing moments with the public walking into a field where we were taking photos. But on my photo shoot, this lady walked into the field to tell us our donkeys had escaped and saw me naked. Luckily she was a retired nurse so had seen it all before, but literally the only thing I was holding in my hand was a chicken so we decided to call my photo Hilary’s Hunk after her.” 

Paul’s wife, Karen, also features on the back of the calendar fully dressed but rounding up the chickens and sheep for Paul’s photo. “But as you know, that doesn’t really work with animals, so we had quite a few laughs doing the shoot,” Paul said. 

All the photos were taken by village resident Mark Richards, a retired Daily Mail photographer who moved to the village three years ago.  

“Everyone in Denton has welcomed us with open arms,” Mark said, adding: “As for the calendar, it has been an absolute ball. I’ve seen more naked men in the last six months than I have my entire life and there were no shrinking violets!”

Asked if the calendar was a reflection of how much fun Denton was as a village, Paul’s wife Karen said: “Life in Denton is as close to the Vicar of Dibley as you can get. They’re all nutcases here, every one of them!” 

Apart from the bloopers on the back of the calendar, other humorous touches include a photo of one of the oldest residents who at 82 volunteered a little late, so was put in  stocks, with the caption – ‘This is what happens when you don’t get your pants off!” 

Paul hopes to boost the fundraising tally with ticket sales from the gala night – which was sold out – along with sales of the calendar. His son, Ben, did a talk on the night before the big reveal when all the residents got to see the calendar for the first time.

Fundraising will finish with Christmas Bingo in December and a fundraising raffle for ACT at a speed dating event in the village the same month. 

Asked what’s next, Paul replied: “The girls are talking about doing a calendar next year along the lines of what we’ve done, but who knows.” 

Five hundred copies of the Denton Dream Boys calendar have been printed off, with 143 pre-orders already. Copies of the now-famous calendar (as featured on ITV and BBC Breakfast) cost ÂŁ15 on ebay and can be ordered here.

Paul’s Just Giving Page can be found here: . Crowdfunding to donate to Addenbrookes and Papworth Hospital on JustGiving.

Former cancer patient whose pioneering immunotherapy treatment rid his body of the disease urges others to never give up hope

Posted on by Danni Smith

David Bateson, from Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2019. The father-of-three, from Ampthill, had an operation to remove the lesion, followed by a skin graft. The cancer returned the following year and David needed to have surgery to remove his lymph nodes from his neck, followed by radiotherapy. David was then put on a course of immunotherapy as a preventative measure, but it was on his birthday in 2021, two years later, that he received the news that his cancer had returned, it was Stage 4 and had spread to his liver, lungs and spine. 

“I just thought, it’s Stage 4 and it’s spread to all those organs. I’m done.” 

David’s consultant, Dr Pippa Corrie, a consultant medical oncologist at Addenbrooke’s, prescribed David a new course of immunotherapy treatment, combining two drugs to kick-start his immune system and after two years of the pioneering treatment, David was given the news in January of this year that there was no trace of cancer in his body. 

David said: “I went from believing I was going to die to being told there was no trace of cancer in my body and there was only a 2% chance of it returning. I just feel incredibly lucky and I appreciate life so much. I have a second go at this and it’s just amazing.” 

“The chances are I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for people at the hospital researching and developing new drugs to fight cancer.” 

Research is key at Addenbrooke’s and the wider Cambridge Biomedical Campus. With technical advances in genome sequencing, AI and immunotherapy, patients are experiencing new hope through personalised cancer treatments. This integrated approach will help fast track cancer innovations and will mean patients from not just across the region, but the whole country, can directly benefit from the latest innovations in cancer science.

David is now a member of the hospital’s Patient Advisory Group (PAG), a group of current and former patients using their lived experience to help design and shape the best care to meet everyone’s needs. 

Knowing how lucky he is to be here now, David has this message for other cancer patients. “Don’t ever give up hope. Someone, somewhere, is testing something that could help you. Don’t underestimate the power of medical science and what drugs can do for you.” 

Dr Pippa Corrie, Consultant Medical Oncologist

Dr Corrie, who specialises in melanoma and pancreaticobiliary cancers, said: “Immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors are really revolutionary in that before 10/15 years ago, people like David really had very little options in terms of treatment and unfortunately very poor outcomes. Now we can offer them effective immunotherapy which can potentially improve their life expectancy and actually cure some people and that’s really a major step change in how we manage patients with melanoma and now we are doing the same by using these drugs to treat other types of cancer as well.” 

David decided to start fundraising for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust as soon as he started his immunotherapy treatment, giving himself the goal of raising ÂŁ500 for further investment into this groundbreaking medical technology. He has since exceeded his goal, going on to raise a staggering ÂŁ50,000.  

David’s ÂŁ50,000 fundraising tally was reached with a charity football match and a silent raffle and auction. The football match saw Ampthill Town Football Club battle it out against Luton Town Football Club under 21s (which David’s son Jack plays for). Former England goalkeeper David James made a special appearance on the day. 

Earlier this year, Luton Town’s Mick Harford presented David with a giant cheque for £50,000, made out to ACT, at the City’s Premier League match against Fulham FC, which saw the club relegated after losing 4-2.  

“He’s a bit of a legend for someone my age. It was a hell of a surprise, such a lovely thing to do.” 

Describing what it was like to be told he had Stage 4 cancer that had spread to his major organs, David said: “I was just walking round punch-drunk, like I wasn’t really there.” 

The hardest thing was worrying about what would happen to his family – his wife, Lisa, a community nurse, and their children, George, 22; Jack, 19, and Grace, 17. 

“Having kids is the best feeling in the world. When they are born, the feeling you have is unbelievable. I didn’t want to not be there for them, I kept thinking about all the things I would miss. Things like walking Grace down the aisle.” 

But he said despite how he was feeling, his strategy was to try and ‘normalise’ cancer whenever he was at home. “I just tried to normalise it. That was my strategy. During the time I’ve had cancer, the kids have done their A levels, GCSEs, driving tests, got girlfriends, boyfriends, and I like to think that this cancer hasn’t completely ruined their young lives. And that’s a credit to me and Lisa. How we have set the tone and dealt with it.” 

Despite David’s amazing news in January, Lisa said the emotional scars are still there and said, even now, she finds herself reluctant to celebrate.  

“Even now, with David being told he only has a 2% chance of his cancer returning, I still feel scared to celebrate. We have had so many different celebrations where we have been given good news, I am more sceptical now. I think it’s just a way of protecting myself.” 

For David though – “this time feels different” – and having been given the good news back in January, he is keen to continue fundraising for the hospital.

“I really think in 20 years’ time we will be saying, ‘remember when cancer used to kill us.’ It is all about changing the story of cancer.” 

Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, courtesy of NBBJ

To find out more about fundraising to support cancer services at Addenbrooke’s, please click here. 

Read more of David’s story and watch his story below.

John Addenbrooke Lecture inspires and drives meaningful changes in healthcare

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

This year’s John Addenbrooke Lecture provided an evening of insightful presentations, stimulating conversations, and the opportunity to be part of a community dedicated to making a difference.

The annual event saw an exceptional line up of speakers all of whom are leaders within their field:

Dr. Ken Poole, an esteemed Academic Consultant in Rheumatology and Metabolic Bone Disease, presented his latest findings that are transforming the approach to bone health and rheumatologic care. Professor Matthias Zilbauer, Clinical Professor of Paediatric Gastroenterology, shared his ground-breaking research and insights into children’s digestive health, and Sue Broster, Director of Innovation, Digital, and Improvement, discussed the innovative strategies and digital advancements driving improvement in healthcare delivery. 

Click below to watch a recording of the 2024 John Addenbrooke Lecture:

The lecture, which was held at Astra Zeneca’s imposing building on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, was hailed a huge success by ACT’s Director of Communications and Impact, Paul White:

“We couldn’t have been prouder of ACT and its impact following the John Addenbrooke’s Lecture. For so many of our valued supporters to be there, listening to the extraordinary talks by some of the hospital’s leaders in research and innovation, really showcased what our charity – and our supporters – can, and do, achieve across Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie.”

He continued: “To hear three remarkable individuals, who between them are changing the way we treat life-limiting conditions such as osteoarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, and driving forward innovation that will go on to save and change countless lives, talk of how grateful they are to ACT and its supporters, and how their work has only been possible because of the people in that room, was a moment to really be proud of – and one which will motivate us to do even more going forward.”

If you would like to make a change today, and donate to ACT to help fund ground-breaking research and equipment within our hospitals, please click here. To here more about ACT’s activities sign up at the foot of our homepage.

Congratulations! Two of our fundraisers nominated for this year’s prestigious Pride of Britain Awards

Posted on by Danni Smith

A HUGE thank you and congratulations to two of our fundraisers who featured in a TV special as nominees for this year’s prestigious Pride of Britain Awards.

David Bateson, pictured here with medical oncology consultant Dr Brent O’Carrigan, and Joyce Cripps, pictured with transplant surgeon Andrew Butler, being filmed in the background, have fundraised tirelessly for Addenbrooke’s through Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, whose supporters raise funds to help make the hospitals even better by funding cutting-edge research, innovations and high-tech equipment, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide.

Both were shortlisted for ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year and although they weren’t selected to go through to the finals of Pride of Britain Awards later this year, we are incredibly proud of both of them for all their hard work and for sharing their personal stories to a wider audience.

David Bateson – who has raised £50,000 for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust after being treated at Addenbrooke’s Hospital for cancer – shared his story on the ITV Anglia special.

The father of three, from Ampthill in Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2019. David’s cancer returned twice but after surgery and treatment, followed by pioneering immunotherapy, David was given the news in January of this year that there was no trace of cancer left in his body.

Since his news, David has worked tirelessly to raise money for cancer services by fundraising for ACT and has raised a staggering ÂŁ50,000 which will go to melanoma research and the ÂŁ14 million public appeal to build the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029.

Explaining why he felt the need to continue fundraising for cancer research, David said: “The chances are I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for people researching and developing new drugs to fight cancer and I think the new cancer hospital planned for Cambridge is going to take that to another level.”

“For people going through cancer, my message would be, never give up hope. There is always hope and it is amazing what is being developed in terms of new cancer treatments.”

Joyce Cripps, our fundraiser from Bishop’s Stortford in East Hertfordshire, was nominated as regional fundraiser for Anglia East Region after spending over half her life fundraising for charities.

The retired carer and care manager, pictured here, started fundraising over 40 years ago after her daughter Julie’s primary school was damaged by fire. She went on to raise over £104,000 for various charities including Cancer Research, Marie Curie, The Willow Foundation which organizes special holidays for terminally ill patients and their families, local hospitals, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and The Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children with cancer.

However, it was after her daughter Julie underwent a lifesaving liver transplant at Addenbrooke’s six years ago that Joyce pledged to dedicate all her fundraising to liver transplant research by raising money for ACT.

Joyce’s fundraising total for Addenbrooke’s transplant services is set to top £25K by the end of this year which she has raised through tribute nights which she books throughout the year, organizing raffle donations and making all the room and table decorations by hand herself.

As part of her nomination, Joyce was filmed with her husband, John, and daughter Julie visiting the transplant unit to meet Andrew Butler, the surgeon who performed Julie’s lifesaving transplant.

Some of Joyce’s money has already been used to refurbish two staff and patient rooms in the unit as well as fund a single use of the Liver Perfusion Machine, pictured above, which ACT supporters raised £250,000 to buy. As part of filming for the special, Joyce and her family got to see the machine – which mimics the body to ensure a liver’s functionality before transplant and allows surgeons to ‘test drive’ livers for suitability before transplanting them.

“As a family, words are not enough to express our gratitude to that wonderful team who saved Julie’s life. Realizing the difference my fundraising has made to other patients’ lives means this tireless work will continue to my days’ end!” Joyce said.

“I have agreed to ongoing monies raised be used for transplant research thus enabling many more lives being saved.  Had it not been for past research Julie’s story would have been very different.”

As well as David and Joyce, another one of our fundraisers featured on the ITV Anglia special. Pig farmer Nathan Lister, from Redgrave, drove the length of Britain in a bright pink Citroen Picasso – referred to as his ‘Pigasso’ after he transformed it into a fundraising pig, complete with snout, tail, ears and eye lashes.

Nathan was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma at 22 and underwent 12 intense rounds of chemotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Now in remission, Nathan and his friends drove from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall, raising more than ÂŁ12,000 for Addenbrooke’s Hospital through ACT and Cancer Research UK, who were interviewed on the show.

Congratulating David and Joyce, who were both nominated for their fundraising for ACT, our charity’s Chief Executive Shelly Thake said:

“We are extremely proud of all our fundraisers. Each and every one of them put in hours and hours of their own time to help make our hospitals even better. In David and Joyce’s case, both have worked tirelessly to raise funds that will go into research to benefit future patients.

“Both took it upon themselves to fundraise for our hospitals at what was a very stressful time in their life – David, when he was still undergoing immunotherapy treatment and Joyce, whilst her daughter was still recovering from a major, lifesaving operation. Not only that, but they continue to fundraise as well as share some of the more private and challenging moments of their life in order to help raise awareness and support others going through a difficult time themselves.”

“Whilst they didn’t get through to the Pride of Britain finals later this year, they did incredibly well to be nominated for ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year. They should be incredibly proud of all the awareness and hard work they put into their fundraising so we would like to extend a huge congratulations to both of them and thank them for everything they do on behalf of ACT.”

This year’s 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival raises a staggering £35k for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

This year’s 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival blew fundraising expectations out of the water – with a staggering £35k raised for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH).

A total of 41 teams and over 600 competitors gathered along the riverbank at Fen Ditton for Saturday’s 18th Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival – paddling 30ft Dragon Boats up the river in glorious sunshine.

As well as the races, bankside entertainment brought the crowds in – with lion dances from the Cambridge Chinese Community and family-friendly entertainment provided by sponsors, Illumina (pictured below), with fun activities such as strawberry DNA extraction, dress like a scientist with a walk-through Cambridge DNA history, face painting and flag making.

We were there too – in a tent full of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust staff and volunteers, with donations to our raffle and hook a duck all helping to boost our £14 million public appeal for the new specialist cancer hospital.

Saturday’s electric event raised £35,000 and all funds will be used in support of the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH). The hospital, which will be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029, will bring together clinical and research expertise in a new, world-class hospital, designed in partnership with staff and patients. It will detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely, and save more lives.

A special shout out to all the teams who competed to raise money for the new hospital – and to Cambridge 105 for supporting us on the day with live interviews and the Cambridge Independent who were taking photos on the day.

Teams travelled from outside the county to take part in Saturday’s Festival – with winners of the best dressed competition, Mosses Arc, travelling down from outside Chester to celebrate their friend Paul’s 50th birthday. Following a Noah’s Arc theme their outfits came two by two – with everything from flamingos to leopards, giant furry rats and chickens. We’re not sure how they managed to row in them – but they looked great!

Thank you also to the teams with multiple entries including TWI Ltd; Ring; AstraZeneca; Huawei Technologies; and the Railway Arms.

ACT’s Natasha Robertson, Corporate Partnerships Manager, hailed the festival a huge success and said: “It was such a fantastic day with an amazing atmosphere. It was lovely to meet all the teams and having the CCRH project team competing, as well as on their stand, meant that everyone who came – whether they were competing or coming to join in the fun – could see the direct impact they were having by helping to raise money for the new cancer hospital.

“We are absolutely delighted to have raised £35,000. It’s been our best festival yet!”

The overall winners were the Cosgrove Paddle Shifters

Lucy Morton, Executive Director from organisers NewWave Events, said: “The 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival was a complete success and the whole team at NewWave Events had a fantastic day with all the crews. The fundraising efforts resulted in a record-breaking amount being raised for ACT from this event and we’re eager to build on this further for 2025! Watch this space for more information about next year, with plans already starting we have lots of ideas and hopefully, we will be bringing the dragons back to the River Cam with a sell-out event for the 20th year!’

Mark Robinson, VP and General Manager, UK and Ireland, and Northern Europe, Illumina said: “lllumina had an incredible day as sponsors of the 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival to raise vital funds for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust to build a specialist cancer hospital in Cambridge. Seeing families, friends, and local businesses come together to support their teams provided an amazing atmosphere for the day and made it extra special.”

Elaine Chapman, Lead Advisory Nurse for CCRH, joined the CCRH project team in their boat and said: “We were absolutely delighted to take to the waters to raise money for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. It was my third time in a race crew and probably the best event yet!”

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out to support such an amazing cause which has led to an incredible £35K raised for our future facility, that is bringing world-leading research and clinical excellence together, to change the lives of cancer patients across the UK and beyond.”

“We’re involving patients and staff at every stage of our project, so it was incredibly fun and rewarding to have our patients with us racing on the River Cam for CCRH.”

ACT would like to extend a HUGE thank you to all the teams taking part on the day. We hope to see you return next year for an even bigger, better festival with funds from next year’s festival again going towards our £14 million public appeal to help build the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

Click here if you would like to donate to Cancer services at Addenbrooke’s and the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

Email our friendly fundraising team and find out what you can do to support our hospitals.

2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival – ‘the biggest yet!’

Posted on by Danni Smith

The 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival looks set to be the biggest race yet – with over 40 teams and 600 competitors taking part to raise funds for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

This year’s 18th Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the River Cam at Fen Ditton on Saturday 7th September with teams of 10-15 paddling 30ft boats up the river with a drummer at the front beating time and a helm at the tail.

Races start at 10am, with a prize ceremony at the end of the day. Festival sponsor Illumina will be taking part on the day and with bankside entertainment, food vans and an on-site bar the event is guaranteed to be a fun-packed, family day out.

Lucy Morton, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: “We’re on track for this year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival – which is being held in the Chinese Year of the Dragon – to be the biggest one yet with record team entries! We have 41 team entries and over half the firms competing this year have taken part in previous years.”

“It is amazing to see this event growing year on year and incredibly rewarding to see how the fundraising efforts from all teams makes a difference to such a worthy cause. Each year, the event brings a fantastic atmosphere to the city and the energy on the day is amazing.”

“The races are really exhilarating and extremely rewarding to be a part of. For the teams that are competing it is a chance for them to be part of the incredible atmosphere. For spectators, it is a fantastic family day out.”

Friendly rivalry is a big part of what the event is about, but Lucy said it is the unpredictable element that makes the day fun for both competitors and spectators.

“Some of the strongest crews can be knocked out in the heats if they aren’t working together to paddle down the course so it’s very common for novice crews to take home the winner’s trophy on the day as long as they have the determination and team spirit to carry them through!”

All funds raised will help boost ACT’s ÂŁ14 million public appeal to help build the new specialist cancer hospital, whose pioneering research is expected to have a far-reaching impact not just regionally, but nationally and globally too. The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) will be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029 and bring together clinical and research expertise in a new, world-class hospital, designed in partnership with staff and patients. The new hospital will detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely, and save more lives.

Donna Lee-Willis, Head of Community Fundraising at Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, said: “We are so excited to be running this event again this year with our longstanding partners NewWave Events and this year’s sponsors, Illumina. Everyone who is there on the day – whether it be competitors or spectators – has a lot of fun and for us to be able to raise money for what is such a good cause makes everyone at ACT incredibly proud.”

Elaine Chapman, Lead Advisory Nurse for CCRH (pictured left), who is taking part herself as a member of the CCRH Project Team, said: “We are delighted this year’s Dragon Boat Festival is dedicating funds to the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital project. This hospital will bring together the very best clinical care and research expertise in a specialist building that has considered the wellbeing of patients and staff. Thank you for supporting us, you are helping to change the story of cancer.”

Mark Robinson, VP and GM, UK and Ireland, Illumina says, “Illumina is proud to support this year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival to aid ACT. This unique event is just one of the ways that our team here in Cambridge is giving back to communities in which we live and work, while at the same time having a lot of fun!”

Each team completes three heats, with the 12 fastest teams going through to the semis. Three semi-final winners and the fastest runner-up go through to the final. Each boat seats up to 10 paddlers and 1 drummer. The racecourse is a 200m straight course with each race lasting anywhere between 55 and 90 seconds, with times affected by water flow and weather conditions.

Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place as well as to the highest placed mixed crew (minimum of five female paddlers), best dressed crew and top charity fundraiser. Medals also go to the top three crews and the highest placed mixed crew.
The winner receives a bottle of bubbly, with the top charity fundraiser winning a punting experience courtesy of Let’s Go Punting.

Bankside entertainment and refreshments include traditional lion dance performances. There are also funfair style rides on the day, with sponsors Illumina hosting several fun activities including strawberry DNA extraction, dress like a scientist with a walk through Cambridge DNA history, a cake stand, face painting and flag making. Cambridge 105 is supporting the event, with live coverage and interviews, on the day.

Come along and support our teams on the day – and help boost our ÂŁ14 million appeal to see the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital built in the City by 2029.

For a taste of what to expect on the day, click on the video below.

ACT calls on runners in 2025 TTP Cambridge Half Marathon to run for new specialist cancer hospital

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

A leading hospital charity is calling on runners in the 2025 TTP Cambridge Half Marathon to join forces to boost its multi-million pound campaign to see a new world-class cancer hospital built in the city by 2029.

The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) is to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and will be the first specialist cancer hospital for the East of England. It will bring together clinical and research expertise under one roof – allowing clinicians to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely and save more lives.

As the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) has launched two major capital campaigns to build two ‘firsts’ for the region – the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

Money raised by ACT supporters in the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon 2025 will help boost the charity’s £14 million public appeal to help build the new specialist cancer hospital, whose pioneering research is expected to have a far-reaching impact not just regionally, but nationally and globally too.

“We would love anyone who secures a ballot place in next year’s TTP Cambridge Half Marathon to choose ACT as their official charity. By doing so they will play a pivotal role in raising funds to help build what will be an amazing, world-leading cancer specialist hospital, the first of its kind in the Eastern region,” said Rebecca Beattie, Community Fundraising Manager at ACT. “So, calling all runners – come and join #TeamAddenbrookes!”

Places for next year’s half marathon on Sunday 9 March go live on the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon website on Friday 23 August, and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

However, if you haven’t secured a TTP Cambridge Half Marathon place, ACT has a number of charity places available for next year’s half marathon, with 2025 seeing the highest number of entries to date, rising from 4 in 2022 to 150 in 2025.
Register for your charity place now.

“It really is an amazing event to be part of and for all our runners to be raising money for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital really does make the atmosphere on the day very special,” Rebecca said.

Any runners who are lucky enough to secure their own place in the half marathon can join #TeamAddenbrookes by contacting ACT at: fundraising@act4addenbrookes.org.uk. Entrants will receive the same support package as ACT’s own charity runners. 

Ella Hamilton, from TTP Cambridge Half Marathon, said: “We are looking forward to entries becoming available for next year’s event, we predict this to be our fastest sell out yet! We are pleased to be supporting such an amazing array of charities, including Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust which has launched the public appeal for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. The local community is really supportive of the half marathon so there’s always a really great atmosphere on the day – not just for runners but spectators too.’

Ilse Patterson, Lead R&D MR Radiographer at Addenbrooke’s

The TTP Cambridge Half Marathon starts at Jesus Green in the centre of Cambridge. It then takes runners to the outskirts of Cambridge along some of the busiest roads which will be closed on the day of the race. Runners then pass over the river, through Kings College, Queens College and past Corpus Christi College before entering the beautiful village of Grantchester. In the final leg, runners will be taken through the stunning grounds of Jesus College before finishing back at Jesus Green with an electric welcome from spectators at what is always a popular event in the city’s calendar.

Ilse Patterson, Lead R&D MR Radiographer at Addenbrooke’s (pictured right), said she will be entering for the second time next year. “I decided to attempt the Cambridge Half Marathon in 2024 and absolutely loved it first time around so have decided to enter again for 2025 and run to make a difference – so have chosen to run for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust. ACT really impacts not just on our patients across Addenbrooke’s, but also staff members too and as an employee of the hospital this makes a huge difference. I am patiently waiting for entries to open so I can apply again for next year!”

Launch of ‘My Thank You’ campaign gives Addenbrooke’s patients chance to thank NHS staff directly

Posted on by Danni Smith

A new campaign allowing Addenbrooke’s patients to send messages of thanks direct to NHS staff who care for them has been launched as part of an eight-week trial.

The ‘My Thank You’ campaign is the first of its kind in the East of England and, for the first time ever, allows grateful patients, as well as family and friends to send messages of thanks directly to a member of staff who has made a real difference to their stay in the hospital by providing them with exceptional care and support. This could be anyone from a member of the security team to porters, administrators and clinical teams including nursing staff and surgeons.  

Messages of thanks can be left for a particular member, or members of staff, who have helped deliver exceptional care and support for patients by simply scanning a QR code displayed on My Thank You posters which have been distributed across the Addenbrooke’s and Rosie sites, both part of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

Alternatively, patients can text the words THANKS ACT to 84901. 

Patients complete an online form where they can enter their message of thanks together with the area or speciality it relates to, along with the member of staff’s name, if they can recall it.  

Once the form is complete, patients are then asked if they would be happy to spread the word on their social media accounts to encourage friends and family to send their own messages of thanks. They will also be given the option of connecting to the hospital charity if they choose. 

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) launched the My Thank You campaign in early August. As the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, its supporters raise funds to help make the hospitals even better by funding cutting-edge research, innovations and high-tech equipment, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide.  

ACT’s Chief Executive Shelly Thake welcomed the campaign and said: “We hope My Thank You will see lots of lovely messages of thanks that we can use to brighten the day of all the wonderful staff in the hospital.” 

“We know that everything our supporters do to help make our hospitals even better, is a way for them to be able to give back and say a special thank you to staff by providing funding for ground-breaking research and high-tech equipment which they know will have a huge impact on their lives. To be able to add words to their thanks now too makes it even more special.” 

“Being able to give back financially is one thing but My Thank You takes this concept of patients wanting to give back one step further and allows them to send a very real, heartfelt message of thanks direct to the member, or members of staff, who cared for them during their stay.” 

“Knowing that staff often go through some very personal, often traumatic situations with patients on a daily basis we believe this campaign will generate a huge response from patients and we very much look forward to seeing, and sharing, all the messages that are sent through.” 

Staff welcome ‘My Thank You’ campaign

The My Thank You campaign was welcomed by the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Clinical Education Team. 

Clinical Education Facilitator Waliu Jawula Salisu, said: “The campaign is a brilliant opportunity for patients and service users to express their gratitude to our hardworking staff. They invest so much emotion and energy into looking after our patients and I think this would be a brilliant opportunity to say thank you to them, which they will appreciate so much.”  

Colleague Emma Le Brun added: “It’s also a fantastic opportunity for colleagues to say thank you to each other. We all work in such a busy and stressful environment, a simple thank you could make someone’s day and make them feel a lot more appreciated in a clinical environment.” 

Former patients and her family welcome ‘My Thank You’ campaign

Retired carer Joyce Cripps, 77, started fundraising for Addenbrooke’s transplant services, through ACT, six years ago after her daughter Julie Halls underwent an emergency, lifesaving liver transplant after her organs failed after she contracted sepsis and pneumonia.  

Julie was given just two weeks to survive without a transplant and Joyce said that after the transplant team at Addenbrooke’s saved her daughter’s life, she will never give up fundraising for Addenbrooke’s. 

“As a family we are truly grateful, we always will be, to the wonderful surgical team and all the staff that really gave Julie a chance of life and for us to save her.” 

For Julie, getting to meet the surgeon who saved her life was a very emotional moment – “Having the chance to say thank you to Andrew Butler in person was just amazing.” (seen here, in picture)

Both mum and daughter, from Bishop’s Stortford, say the campaign, where patients and families will have the chance to thank every member of the hospital staff team that care for them, is a fantastic idea. Both women remember different members of staff who supported them through Julie’s lifesaving operation. 

Joyce said: “I can honestly say the staff in the hospital were brilliant. The day of Julie’s operation when we arrived to be told that the organ would be arriving later that day, the co-ordinator Michael Hope was absolutely amazing, the way he looked after me and Julie’s husband Paul. Julie was very distressed and very frightened at the thought of what was ahead of her so Michael put Julie’s mind at rest and asked Julie why she was frightened. She asked him if she was going to die and he said, ‘Julie, when my car breaks down, it goes into a garage that I trust and the car comes out at the end of the day all repaired and that is what we are going to do for you. That is not our goal today for you to die.” 

As for Julie, she remembers lots of people from her stay at Addenbrooke’s. “I can honestly say that my stay in Addenbrooke’s was one of the best times of my life because of the wonderful staff that were so kind and caring, even down to the lady who served my breakfast. Her name was Fran and I still remember her smiley face.” 

Say thank you to a member of hospital staff now.

One year on – and over 500 patients have benefitted from YOUR donations to a ÂŁ1.5 million appeal to buy a new surgical robot for Addenbrooke’s

Posted on by Danni Smith

A year after our amazing ACT supporters raised a staggering ÂŁ1.5 million to buy a new surgical robot for Addenbrooke’s we can reveal just how much impact the robot has had across a wide range of specialities. 

Addenbrooke’s three surgical robots have helped specialists carry out nearly 540 lifesaving or life-altering operations in the last 12 months. 

Importantly, the robots enabled patients to recover faster from surgery, and allowed them to go home in hours or days – rather than weeks. 

They have helped with a wide range of conditions, cut waiting lists and fuelled ambitions for a fourth robot, which would make Addenbrooke’s one of the leading surgical centres in the UK. 

The success was outlined today (5 July) – a year to the day after the Trust’s second robot was unveiled following a ÂŁ1.5m fundraising campaign by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT).  

ACT CEO, Shelly Thake, said: “It is important that all those who worked so hard to raise so much money are aware of just how impactful the robots have been for patients over the last 12 months. Once again, we want to thank them for their incredible support, this would not have been possible without them.” 

The da Vinci Xi dual console surgical system has revolutionised patient care and surgical training across six specialties – urology, gynae-oncology, gynaecology, colorectal, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and HPB (Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary – diseases of the liver, pancreas and biliary tree). 
 

Chair of CUH Robotic Surgery Steering Group (RUG), Mr Siong-Seng Liau, said: “It has been an incredible 12 months during which we have treated hundreds of patients for a multitude of different conditions using techniques that often allow them to go home more quickly, freeing up beds for other patients who urgently need them. 

“We are looking forward to the future with great confidence and, although it may be some way off, have ambitions to acquire a fourth robot and become the leading robotic surgical centre in the UK.” 

Consultant Colorectal and Robotic Surgeon, Dr Michael Powar, said: “The robotic platform that ACT supporters fundraised for offers enhanced precision, improved visualisation and greater dexterity when we perform surgery. We are seeing this translate to better patient outcomes with more patients having less invasive procedures, reduced pain and quicker recovery after surgery.” 

The unveiling at Addenbrooke’s Treatment Centre was memorable as the robot cut its own ribbon in front of guests, coinciding with a host of other celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS. 

In addition to the ÂŁ1.5 million raised by ACT supporters, we were able to use a legacy that had been left to the charity to purchase a dual console for the da Vinci Xi dual surgical system, allowing surgical trainees to gain hands-on experience of robotic-assisted surgery alongside an experienced surgeon. The legacy brought the total raised by ACT supporters overall to ÂŁ2,022,270. We would like to thank those who generously supported the robot appeal over the last two years, in particular the Mark Benevolent Fund and the ALBORADA Trust. 

Our fund-raising campaign was so successful it enabled the hospital to lease a third CMR Surgical Versius robot, allowing surgical teams to add further upper gastrointestinal, benign gynaecological and colorectal specialities to the service. 

The two systems compliment Addenbrooke’s first robot, a Da Vinci Si, which was introduced over a decade ago to treat kidney, bladder, and prostate patients and was later upgraded to a Da Vinci Xi. 

The appeal ran over two years with support from the Cambridge Independent and many groups and individuals, including Addenbrooke’s surgeon, Atanu Pal, who took part in the virtual London Marathon in 2021, running a route that spelled out the word ROBOT. 
 
The Cambridgeshire Vintage Tractor Club also rallied more than 100 tractors to drive through South Cambridgeshire villages, and Frances Dewhurst challenged herself to walk up her stairs ten times a day for 100 days, in memory of her late sisters, Hilary and Charlotte.  

To find out more about fundraising for ACT, click here.