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New Treatment Approach Shows Promise for Aggressive Breast Cancers 

Posted on by Paul White

A ground-breaking trial, funded with the help of ACT supporters, has led to a significant improvement in survival rates for patients with aggressive, inherited breast cancers. Cambridge researchers have discovered that a new treatment approach, involving chemotherapy followed by a targeted cancer drug before surgery, has resulted in a 100% survival rates for patients who took part in a trial three years post-surgery.

Published today in the journal Nature Communications, this discovery could become the most effective treatment to date for early-stage breast cancer patients with inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. These types of breast cancers are notoriously difficult to treat, gaining public attention when actress Angelina Jolie, a BRCA1 carrier, underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2013.

The current standard treatment aims to shrink the tumour using chemotherapy and immunotherapy before removing the tumour through surgery. However, the first three years after surgery are critical, with the highest risk of relapse after death. The Partner trial took a different approach, demonstrating two key innovations: the addition of olaparib and chemotherapy pre-surgery, and the benefits of careful timing of treatments. Olaparib, a targeted cancer drug taken as tablets, is already available on the NHS.

Led by Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge, the trial recruited patients from 23 NHS sites across the UK. Results show that leaving a 48-hour gap between chemotherapy and olaparib leads to better outcomes, possibly because the patient’s bone marrow has time to recover from chemotherapy while leaving the tumour cells susceptible to the targeted drug. Of the 39 patients who received chemotherapy followed by olaparib only one relapsed three years after surgery, and 100% survived. In comparison, the survival rate for the control arm was 88% three years after surgery.

Jackie Van Bochoven, a 59-year-old from South Cambridgeshire, was diagnosed in February 2019 with a small but aggressive tumour. She shared her experience: “When I had the diagnosis, I was completely shocked and numb. I thought about my children, and my mum and sister who were diagnosed with breast cancer. I was pretty worried. Six years on, I’m well and cancer-free. I’m back at work, enjoying life and spending time with my family. When you’ve had cancer, I think you look at life differently and every day is a bonus”.

Patient Jackie Van Bochoven (second left) and her daughters – Danielle, Charlotte and Jocelyn (L to R)
Copyright: Cambridge University Hospitals

The findings have the potential to be applied to other cancers caused by faulty copies of the BRCA genes, such as some ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. It may also have cost-saving benefits for the NHS, as patients currently offered olaparib take the drug post-surgery for 12 months, whereas patients on the trial took the tablets pre-surgery for 12 weeks.

Professor Jean Abraham, Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Copyright: Stillvision photography

Professor Jean Abraham, Addenbrooke’s consultant and trial lead, expressed excitement about the potential of this new approach: “It is rare to have a 100% survival rate in a study like this and for these aggressive types of cancer. We’re incredibly excited about the potential of this new approach, as its crucial that we find a way to treat and hopefully cure patients who are diagnosed with BRCA1 and BRCA2 related cancers”.

Shelly Thake, CEO of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, which supported the Partner trial with funding from our kind supporters, said: “One of the greatest privileges we have as a charity is supporting transformative, pioneering and radical people. The finest minds in their fields whose research is shaping the future of healthcare, doing things differently so that we can stop people suffering from cancers we should be beating. Jean is one of those individuals, and her work developing personalised breast cancer treatments remains one of the most powerful examples of what ACT – and the wonderful people who donate to ACT – can make possible. This news gives hope to countless women who live with the fear of aggressive, inherited breast cancers. It is also a profound example of what the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital that we are currently fundraising for will make possible, and why there is nowhere else other than Cambridge where this hospital would be possible with its critical mass of clinicians, researchers, world-class hospitals and pioneering organisations such as the University and pharmaceutical companies”.

ACT supported Professor Abraham by funding her salary for two years, which enabled her to work on multiple breast cancer projects.

“That kind of support at that stage is a boost in that it gives you the feeling that someone believes in what you are doing. It is always good to get someone else to verify that your ideas are sound, and if people back it with money then that’s a very big statement of support. So, from my perspective, having ACT’s funding to support me was a very visible and real sign of the belief in my abilities and there’s no price you can put on that kind of confidence at that stage in your career.”

“Probably the most undervalued quality in science and medicine is determination and persistence because this wasn’t straight forward. We went to more than one drug company to get a drug; we didn’t always get the funding that we should have got and there have been a lot of hurdles.

We had to get through COVID – there’s been a lot that has happened. Some of the firms that were doing the work of testing went bust. A lot happens when you are trying to deliver a trial, so for anyone who is more junior and is thinking of a career as a clinical trialist or clinical academic, I would say, obviously you have to be smart and have general ideas, but fundamentally you have to be determined, persistent and not let other people’s inability to see what you see stop you. To have that belief in yourself and your team and to take the project forward I think is really important.”

Mark O’Connor, chief scientist in Early Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, added: “The Partner trial highlights the importance of detecting and treating cancer early, and the value of innovative science in informing clinical trial design. While the findings need to be validated in a larger study, they’re incredibly exciting and have the potential to transform outcomes for patient populations who have unmet clinical needs”.

This collaboration between NHS, academia, and industry, reflects the vision of the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, a specialist cancer research hospital due to be built on Europe’s leading life sciences campus, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It will bring clinical expertise from Addenbrooke’s Hospital together with world-class scientists from the University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, and industry partners to create new diagnostics and treatments to detect the earliest signs of cancer and deliver personalised, precision medicine.

Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, commented: “One of the best ways that we can beat cancer sooner is by making more effective use of treatments that are already available to us. While this research is still in its infancy, it is an exciting discovery that adding olaparib at a carefully-timed stage of treatment can potentially give patients with this specific type of breast cancer more time with their loved ones. Research like this can help find safer and kinder ways to treat certain types of cancer. Further studies in more patients are needed to confirm whether this new technique is safe and effective enough to be used by the NHS”.

Professor Abraham and the team are now planning the next phase of the research, which will look to replicate the results in a larger study and confirm that the Partner approach offers a less toxic treatment for patients as well as being more cost-effective to the current standard of care. She said:

“All jobs have their moments. The privilege I have is that you are always grounded by your patients because no matter how tough you think you are having it, you know that your patients are having it a great deal tougher. And actually, the thing that should motivate you is not whether you can get an H paper or an H Comms paper (a metric used to measure the productivity and impact of a researcher’s publications), both of which we got, but actually it’s ‘will it make a difference to the people that you see every week in clinic?’ that should be your driver.”

The Partner trial was sponsored by Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge, funded by Cancer Research UK and AstraZeneca, and supported by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, and the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre.

#TeamAddenbrooke’s London Marathon runners raise more than ÂŁ30,000 for Addenbrooke’s!

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

The 14 runners – each with their own very personal stories and reasons for running – completed Sunday’s Marathon on behalf of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) in what is one of the most celebrated events in the London calendar with over 50,000 runners coming together to raise money for a sea of good causes.

The total raised for ACT so far is just over ÂŁ30,000, with donations still coming in.

The ACT Cheer Squad

Thanking all of the charity’s runners, Bridget Parr, ACT’s Community Fundraising Co-ordinator, said:

“All of them did amazingly. To be able to support them over the last year has been a real honour for me, just to be part of their journey. They are all so inspiring. They all have their own reasons for running – from people whose children have been ill or had life-saving operations, to another running in memory of a friend they lost, to one of our runners, who broke her neck and wasn’t sure she would ever be able to walk again, much less run, so to be there with her family when she passed our cheer point, was very emotional.”

Bridget was part of the ACT ‘cheer squad’ along with the charity’s Head of Community Fundraising, Donna Lee-Willis, positioned to the side of St Paul’s Church in Shadwell – so able to cheer runners at both the 13.5-mile mark and the 22.5-mile mark.

Thanking all of the amazing runners, Donna Lee-Willis, Head of Community Fundraising at ACT, said:

“London Marathon is by far one of my favourite events of the year. Watching thousands of people run, walk, jog the streets of London all for causes close to their hearts is emotional and inspiring. I cannot thank Team Addenbrookes enough – you are all simply incredible and we are all super proud of you. I have been cheering on runners at this event for 22 years and every year it fills me with total admiration. The money you have raised for ACT will enable us to continue making our hospital great. THANK YOU SO MUCH.”

All 14 ACT runners completed Sunday’s marathon, but for one, Sarah Barnard-Mitcham, it proved a real challenge after spraining her ankle on a water bottle at the start. She wasn’t feeling great around the 13-mile mark but walked with her sister – and carried on despite not feeling great, completing the 26.2-mile challenge in just over six hours.

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust also got a mention in live coverage of the event when Liza Putwain was interviewed by BBC Sport reporter, Jeanette Kwakye, on the day, interviewing her on her way round the course.

Liza (pictured left) wanted to run for Addenbrooke’s as a way of thanking staff who cared for her after she broke her neck in a freak accident when she was flipped from an inflatable object during an assault course. The mum-of-three had been running the course in memory of her husband Ian, who had died unexpectedly eight months earlier.

Describing how amazing it was to be part of the London Marathon, the film studies teacher from just outside Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk said:

“It sounds corny but when you are running it, it just feels like the whole city just loves each other in a world where there’s so much negativity at the moment. It feels like you are a Premiership footballer because everybody is calling your name and wanting you to win. It’s like they are on your team and cheering you on. I heard ‘Liza come on you can do it’ thousands and thousands of times on Sunday.”

She said the special, emotional moments for her were seeing her three children, Ella, 17, Sophie, 13, and Charlie 11, on the side lines with her sister and niece. Other memorable moments including spotting two signs – Remember Your Why – and one that, she says, is her own mantra – We Can Do Hard Things – which is not surprising when you hear Liza’s own story.

“I say it all the time, to my kids particularly, and they say it back to me when I’m struggling. It’s like we say, we can do hard things. Life is tough but we can get through this, we can do it, so when I saw that sign I was like ‘oh my gosh, that’s my mantra.”

Asked what she is planning next, Liza said she is thinking of applying for a ballot place in the 2026 London Marathon but deferring for a year. She is also planning to run a half marathon with her niece – and do a HYROX event too.

“I was talking to another runner and we were saying it was like childbirth. It’s like, in that moment when you have just run the London Marathon, you’re like, ‘oh my gosh, that was horrific I will never do that again. And then you get the post marathon high and you’re like, ‘this is amazing’ and before you know it you are signing up to do it again.”

Just some of the more personal reasons runners had for taking part include:

  • Will Hemsley, running for ACT to thank staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital who cared for his close friend Josh, who sadly lost his life in 2016, aged just 18.
  • Liza Putwain, with her story above.
  • Alfie Lowe who fundraised for ACT last year after his friend Rhuey was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, raising ÂŁ1,500 for the charity by hiking the Edale skyline. This year, he ran the London Marathon in memory of his friend Alex Paterson, who they lost last year – saying: “Alex was one of the most loyal, caring and genuine people I knew, and he’s left a giant hole in a lot of our hearts.”
  • Chris Loveday whose wife Carly underwent a live kidney transplant at Addenbrooke’s in 2010. Carly fell pregnant in 2011 and was seen at regular intervals by both the transplant team and specialists at the Rosie. Nearly 2 years after her transplant, Carly was admitted to the Rosie with complications and the family were told to expect the worst – and daughter Flo was born by emergency C-section, 7 weeks premature and with life-threatening complications. Flo was cared for initially on NICU for 2 weeks and remained in special care in the Rosie for a further 3 weeks. Thanking Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie for all their care, Chris shared the news that this year, daughter Flo becomes a teenager! 
  • Sarah Barnard-Mitcham (pictured below) who was treated at Addenbrooke’s after being diagnosed with High-Grade DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ) following a mammogram. Describing the care she received at Addenbrooke’s, Sarah said: “Throughout this process, the care I’ve received at the Cambridge Breast Unit at Addenbrooke’s has been nothing short of exceptional.” The hospital is also supporting her sister, Stephanie, as she navigates Early Onset Alzheimer’s, having been diagnosed at just 47. Sarah added: “Over the years, Addenbrooke’s has supported not just my family but countless others in our community. That’s why I’ve chosen to fundraise for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.”

ACT thanked all this year’s “amazing runners” who were: Alex Tarrant, Chris Loveday, Will Hemsley, Richard York-Weaving, Josh Scarlett, Michelle Meads, Liza Putwain, Jack Smith, Ben Smith, Alfie Lowe, Amy De Selincourt, Darren Godfrey, Sarah Barnard-Mitcham, and Tanya Wagstaff.

All of the money raised from Sunday’s marathon will go to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official charity for Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie. ACT funds cutting-edge equipment, groundbreaking research, and improvements to the environment for both staff and patients, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide.  

** If you would like to run for Team Addenbrooke’s in the 2026 London Marathon, sign up now for one of ACT’s charity places.

Applications can be made online at www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/londonmarathon2026

Runners who would like to apply for a place have until Monday 9 June at 9am. Anyone who is shortlisted will then be offered a telephone interview to talk about their fundraising plans and reasons for running – with TEAM ADDENBROOKES announced the week commencing Monday 23 June.

Fundraiser turns to music to raise awareness of rare disease  

Posted on by Danni Smith

A hospital patient with a rare inflammatory disease of the nervous system has turned to music to raise funds for Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Ben Standing, 50, from Ipswich, was diagnosed with CLIPPERS Disease at the end of 2024 after months of investigative scans and a brain biopsy. 

There is currently no diagnostic test or cure for the disease which is so rare there are only 140 recorded cases across the globe. CLIPPERS, which is treated with steroids, affects a person’s balance and co-ordination and can affect the ability to speak and swallow.  

Both CLIPPERS and brain lymphomas react to the same treatment and one can often be mistaken for the other.  As a result, Ben was just one day away from starting chemotherapy for what was believed to be a brain lymphoma when a team of specialists at Addenbrooke’s halted treatment, calling for further investigation. 

This led to another scan that showed a very different picture to one several months earlier, with changes in the pons area of the brain more in line with CLIPPERS.  

Ben said having his chemo treatment called off the day before it was due to start was a huge shock – but something he is incredibly grateful for. 

“I was due to have the lines fitted in my arms on the Friday. On the Thursday night, the day before my treatment was due to start, the team at Addenbrookes flagged the fact they could see infection but described the biopsy results as inconclusive so pulled the treatment and called for more tests. I was fed up at the time but in hindsight it stopped me having unnecessary chemotherapy.” 

Ben is now under the care of a team of specialists at the Neuro Immunology Clinic at Addenbrooke’s, including Dr Ed Needham (pictured with Ben below), a consultant neurologist who is one of only 10 or 11 CLIPPERS specialists in the UK.   

“One of the tricky things with CLIPPERS is that it happens in a part of your brain that is really, really important, and so doing a brain biopsy, which is the gold standard test that we would often go to for difficult diagnoses, would lead to significant disability. As a result, we are reticent to do that so we very much rely on scans,” he explained, adding: “Sometimes the findings are very typical and you can diagnose it easily from the scan, but other times it can be far trickier.”  

“Ben’s case was a very unusual presentation of an already very unusual, rare condition. Although you wouldn’t have looked at his first scan and thought it was CLIPPERS, his scans changed over time, raising this as a possible diagnosis, and fortunately he was able to have a biopsy early on as the area affected was not in the area of the brain usually affected by CLIPPERS.” 

Dr Needham said the disease, which has no cure but is treatable through medication, is tricky to diagnose. “CLIPPERS is really difficult in its similarity to lymphoma. The scans can look identical, as can the response to steroids. We also think that there are some patients that have CLIPPERS who go on to develop lymphoma, but of course the counter argument to that is that perhaps the CLIPPERS was a misdiagnosis and it was actually lymphoma from the start.” 

“Fortunately, if a patient with CLIPPERS was mistakenly given chemotherapy it would not be a catastrophe, as lymphoma treatment would likely be a highly effective treatment for CLIPPERS, but potentially a bit too strong. It would help your symptoms and your disability, but it could put you at higher risk of complications like infections.” 

He said the process used to eliminate different scenarios in Ben’s case was a ‘perfect team effort’ adding:

“There were a lot of people involved in getting to the bottom of Ben’s case, and the communication between these professionals was very good. Genuinely with things like this, a system should not rely on a single person to diagnose an unusual condition, but it is the importance of the team approach that shows it is working.”

Ben first noticed something wrong whilst on holiday in May 2023 when he started veering across pavements when walking. 

“I was bumping into whoever I was walking next to. Within two weeks, I would be falling off the kerb into the side of the road. I would redirect myself back onto the pavement and it would happen again. It would be like I had had ten pints of beer but I have never had ten pints of beer in one go in my life, ever!”

Ben in healthier times

On his return to the UK, Ben was referred to hospital for a brain scan which consultants believed to be a brain lymphoma with sinister results, a type of brain cancer. Ben was told if they didn’t treat it, it would be “life-threatening.” 

He was then referred to Addenbrooke’s where he underwent a brain biopsy and whilst waiting for the results was put on a course of steroids. “Within half an hour, I was walking 99% normally again,” he said. However, after the dosage was reduced, his symptoms worsened.  

As well as his walking, his speech has slowed and Ben starts to stutter at the end of the day when his medication starts to wear off. 

Ben, who has not been able to work since his diagnosis, said the care he was given by Addenbrooke’s has made him want to give back to the Neuro team. He began writing computer-generated songs about his CLIPPERS and hopes to raise ÂŁ10,000 with his song, Powered by Love, in the hope it will help fund a future diagnostic test or cure for the disease.  

Describing his style as ‘upbeat and cheesy’ Ben has already attracted a large following on his YouTube page, with 1.5 million views and 54,000 subscribers.

“Addenbrooke’s have been amazing from day one, ringing me twice a day after I had been in hospital to check if I was ok. I dread to think how much money has been spent on my care and operations, so if I can do this and possibly help find a cure for CLIPPERS or an early diagnosis, it would be amazing.” 

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie and funds cutting-edge equipment, groundbreaking research, and improvements to the environment for both staff and patients, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. 

Dr Needham said he would not have his career, as one of the few CLIPPERS specialists in the UK, had he not received funding from Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, who provided the funding for a clinical research fellowship before going on to gain his PhD.  

He called for more funding for early research saying:

“I wouldn’t have been able to get my PhD and have my research career if I hadn’t had the ACT funding.  It is about investing in the person to be able to then go on and do research in the long term.” 

Ben’s website, which includes a link to his Just Giving Page, can be found at: www.benstanding.com. His page also includes a link to Powered By Love, the song he is using to launch his ÂŁ10K fundraising appeal for Addenbrooke’s Neurology department. 

Addenbrooke’s Paediatric Oncology nurse runs Cambridge Half to raise awareness of hospital that treated her as a child

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

A Paediatric Oncology nurse working back on the ward that looked after her when she had leukaemia as a child is to run this year’s TTP Cambridge Half Marathon to raise awareness of the charity that raises funds for the hospital where she now works.

Molly Shelley, 22, a paediatric oncology nurse at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) when she was just three years old.

Diagnosed in the May of 2006, her parents had taken her to the GP and A&E on many occasions over a period of several months trying to work out what was wrong with her after the toddler started suffering from unexplained symptoms including leg pain, uncontrollable high temperatures and constant ear infections.

Molly would also bruise really easily and had all the typical rashes as well as a distended stomach prior to treatment.

Tests revealed Molly (pictured right with her sister, Daisy) had 95% leukaemia cells in her bone marrow so underwent an intense programme of six weeks of aggressive chemotherapy, which luckily put her into remission. After that she was put on a two-year treatment plan consisting of ongoing chemotherapy, lumbar punctures and blood transfusions before being given the all-clear, aged five.

Asked what she remembers, Molly said: “I’m very grateful and lucky to say that I only have positive memories of what was obviously, a very difficult time. So I feel really grateful for that.”

“The limited memories I do have are of the nurses and my time on the ward – but as a kid, not as a poorly patient. Those memories are of being with my nurses or playing with them. I remember being in my hospital bed one time with my dad, watching a film, and the nurse came in to take a blood test and I just stuck my arm out. They didn’t have to say a word.”

Molly said it was her experience as a child which pushed her into the nursing profession – “My mum always said it was weird that I felt so comfortable in a hospital. Now I couldn’t even imagine myself doing another job.”

Having graduated from University in December, Molly interviewed for her current role in January. Her interviewer was the ward manager when Molly was being treated for Leukaemia and Molly says she now knows four members of staff who were working on the ward when she was a child.

“I definitely wouldn’t be nursing now it if wasn’t for me having leukaemia as a child,” she said. “But I see it as a positive as it has made me who I am today. It’s driven me into this career and made me do things I wouldn’t have done otherwise.”

“Obviously it affected my parents a lot more than me and now when I am on the ward I think more about my parents in that situation than myself.”

“If I’m speaking to the families, I am always thinking about how I interact with the parents. I just think, ‘how would I want my parents to have received this?’ and that’s how I go about it.”

Molly’s Leukaemia obviously had a a big impact on all her family. Her dad, Paul, had to give up his job at the time to care for Molly; her mum, Alison, who works in HR, went to work in the NHS after Molly’s recovery and now works for a genomics company, and sister Daisy, now studies BioMed science.

Molly is running the London Marathon in April, raising money for Leukaemia UK and Blood Cancer UK, who the family raised money for 20 years ago.

She opted to run the Cambridge Half Marathon for Addenbrooke’s official charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), after getting her place in the ballot in this year’s half and said: “I just knew as soon as I got the place it would be so special to me to be running around the city that we are based in and to be able to run for the charity of the hospital I was a patient in. It feels very special and fitting – a full-circle kind of moment because 20 years ago I was a patient on the ward I am now a nurse on.”

Molly has decided to share her story now to help other families going through the same thing.

“The reason I am sharing my story now is I just hope to show parents that me having Leukaemia shows I am living proof that there is light at the end of what can be a very dark tunnel. I just want to give them hope.”

Asked how she finds working with kids, she said: “Kids are just so resilient, you wouldn’t know they were unwell. They all have a smile on their face, they laugh with you, dance with you, they are just incredible. They are living life to the best of their ability.”

She said ward staff organise a mini disco in the corridors once a week to get everyone together and said it was one such special moment that really hit home with her.

“I’d come out of the staff room and saw all the kids had come out of their rooms and the staff had put on a bit of a mini disco in the corridor of the ward. They were all stood there with their drip stands and pumps, with all their wires and everything, and the staff were dancing with them. There was music on a speaker and a little disco ball and some lights and they were all stood in a circle holding hands, dancing – the parents, kids and staff. And it’s in that split second where you are like, ‘This is what it is all about. This is why I do this job. The kids are just incredible.”

If you have been inspired by Molly’s story and would like to make a donation to ACT, please click here.

Every patient in Addenbrooke’s to receive gift on Christmas Day thanks to Cambridgeshire firm’s fundraiser

Posted on by Danni Smith

‘Magical’ and ‘rewarding’ were the words used to describe a day of handing out Christmas presents and chocolates to staff and patients to ensure that every patient in Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie on Christmas Day will have a present to open. 

The festive gifts were paid for by caring staff from Ely firm, Cambridge Commodities, who spend the year fundraising for the two hospitals through Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). 

An annual Christmas Ball focuses on giving back – with proceeds from the event ensuring that every patient in hospital over the festive season will receive a gift. Their thoughtfulness extends to all the staff too, who receive a box of chocolates in appreciation.  

Handing them out last week, ready for Christmas, was a team of staff from Cambridge Commodities and ACT. 

James Stevens, CEO of Cambridge Commodities (fifth from left), said: “One of the most special times in the year is Christmas and every year, at our annual festive Ball, we raise money to pay for every patient who wakes up on Christmas Day to receive a gift.” 

“It’s just the most incredible feeling to have spent the day with members of my team who have been handing out presents they wrapped only a few days ago.“ 

“One of my favourite feelings from today is we get to wake up on Christmas morning knowing that hopefully we have brought a smile to someone who is not having the best time, and if we can bring a little bit of love and a smile to people’s lives, that makes my Christmas.” 

Nikki, one of James’ team of helpers, (first on the left), said the day had extra special meaning for her as it marked the one-year anniversary of her dad’s death. 

Her dad, Michael, had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and had been cared for by staff at Addenbrooke’s.  

“He had chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at Addenbrooke’s and the staff were just amazing. It seems insignificant giving out chocolates as a way of saying thank you but the staff don’t realise the work they do. My dad was a single parent and we were incredibly close and the staff were just phenomenal with him. No question was ever too silly. Their care was second to none.” 

“Today has been incredible. As well as the presents for patients, we have bought a box of chocolates for all the staff and although it’s only a box of chocolates to say thank you, today has been very, very rewarding.” 

Natasha Robertson, Corporate Partnerships Manager at ACT said: “Today has been so magical and really demonstrates the difference that a heartfelt act of kindness makes and the strength of partnerships and making a difference together.” 

Paul White, (first on left), ACT’s Director of Communications and Impact, said: “Being in hospital at any time is really difficult but never more so than over Christmas. Showing staff and patients that there are people out there thinking of them and caring makes a world of difference. Cambridge Commodities have been working towards this all year and for them to be here today to be part of it is fantastic.” 

Ashwitha Rai, a nutrition assistant who will be working both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, thanked ACT and Cambridge Commodities saying: “It makes a lot of difference for the staff as well as the patients.”  

As well as handing out presents to staff, James also got to visit one of the wards where some of the elderly patients will be spending Christmas Day. 

Ninety-year-old Cynthia, pictured with Paul and James, had only been admitted the night before. She said she normally spent Christmas with about 16 or 17 family members including her son, grandchildren and great grandchildren and said receiving the special gift from Cambridge Commodities and ACT was “marvellous.” 

Ben’s Yard, in Ely, also got involved in the special event by donating their marquee and refreshments as a space for Christmas wrapping, providing their own team of staff to help wrap presents too. 

To find out about volunteer opportunities at ACT, visit www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/volunteer 

Corporates who would like to support ACT as Charity of the Year can also get in touch by emailing: corporatepartnerships@act4addenbrookes.org.uk 

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.

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.