A pioneering Channel 4 programme presented by Davina McCall will broadcast live from Addenbrooke’s Hospital as part of this year’s Stand Up To Cancer 2025.
Photo courtesy of Channel 4
The programme will highlight the expertise, innovation and dedication of clinicians in Cambridge, as Cancer Clinic: Live broadcasts from a special one-off cancer clinic at Addenbrooke’s on the evening of Friday 12th December.
By focusing on the groundbreaking work that is happening here at Addenbrooke’s as well as Royal Papworth, the show will shine a spotlight on Cambridge where the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) is set to be built. Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) is raising significant funds for CCRH, with the public being asked to raise £100million towards the build of this groundbreaking new hospital.
For the first time on UK television, viewers of the Channel 4 programme will see clinical consultations with cancer specialists from Addenbrooke’s unfold in real time. Viewers will hear from patients and their families whose cancer journeys have been followed for several weeks from diagnosis to results, as they continue through treatment.
Producers say the aim of the programme is to demystify what happens inside a cancer clinic, tackle the fear that prevents many from seeking help, and show the life-saving impact of early diagnosis.
Although producers have not yet specified which areas of cancer will be featured within the show, there are plans to cover at least one groundbreaking project which has received funding from ACT supporters.
Cancer Clinic: Live will be part of a wider series of programmes on Channel 4 for Stand Up To Cancer, fronted by presenter Adam Hills, which will include special editions of Channel 4 shows such as Celebrity Gogglebox and The Last Leg.
This year, a new campaign by Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK will also drive awareness of NHS cancer screening programmes and raise funds for groundbreaking cancer research. A nationwide Screening Checker is being launched to allow members of the public to find out which NHS and PHA cancer screenings they are eligible for and to get advice on the screening process.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is a national and regional centre for many cancers including rarer types of cancer. Its Cancer Services care for around 6,000 new patients each year, aiming to deliver the highest quality clinical care, supported by world-leading research and innovation.
Addenbrooke’s is a specialist hospital located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Cambridge is home to the largest life sciences cluster in Europe and one of the most productive communities of cancer researchers in the world, with academics from the University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and industry partners.
The campus will also be the site for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital which will bring together academia, industry and clinical excellence under one roof, to transform the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.
Stand Up To Cancer UK is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, bringing the nation together to accelerate life-saving research.
TV Presenter Davina McCall said: “I want to take the fear out of cancer screening and show everyone that they are not on their own in this. I’ve been part of Stand Up To Cancer UK since it started in 2012 and I knew for this year’s campaign I wanted to step out of the TV studio and speak to real people facing a cancer diagnosis.”
She added: “On the night of Stand Up To Cancer I will be with incredible teams of medical professionals to demystify what happens inside a cancer clinic. Cancer Clinic: Live is about showing the reality of the incredible care, science and humanity of a cancer diagnosis, and reminding people that early diagnosis gives you options and hope.”
Cancer Clinic: Live is produced by Bango Studios and HiddenLight and the executive producers are Amy Flanagan, Emma Jay and Emily Hudd.
To find out more information about Stand Up To Cancer 2025 and the new screening campaign click here.
Addenbrooke’s has become the first hospital in Europe to deliver histotripsy treatment to a patient outside of a clinical trial, after being fast-tracked by the Government – marking a major milestone in NHS cancer care.
Whilst funding for the multi-million-pound system was made possible by a generous donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, the consultant who fought to bring the system to the UK has thanked Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) for helping to get the project over the finishing line by providing funding for the first 33 patients to be treated on the NHS.
The pioneering procedure which uses ultrasound energy to destroy tumours took place at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where a patient from Bedford became the first person in Europe to undergo the incisionless treatment for liver cancer.
Dr See and the Addenbrooke’s theatre team using a degassed water bath to transmit the focused ultrasound waves to the tumour area. Credit: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH)
Histotripsy uses focused sound waves to generate microscopic “bubble clouds” from naturally occurring gases present in targeted tumour tissues. The bubbles form and collapse in microseconds, creating mechanical forces that destroy cancer cells without the need for surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. With treatment taking as little as 30 minutes and usually with minimal or no pain, patients can recover quickly and spend less time in hospital, with treatment performed as a day case.
Dr Teik Choon See, consultant interventional radiologist at Addenbrooke’s
Dr Teik Choon See, consultant interventional radiologist at Addenbrooke’s, led the procedure. “Histotripsy represents a major and exciting step forward in cancer treatment,” said Dr See. “It allows us to target tumours more precisely while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, offering patients a safer and faster alternative to traditional therapies.
“What is even more promising is in some reported cases, after the sound waves break apart the tumour, the patient’s immune response may become activated and clear up some remaining cancerous tissues, showing real hope for patients.”
Thanking ACT supporters who helped clear the path for the first 33 patients to receive the treatment, Dr See said getting the project off the ground would have been ‘tricky and challenging’ without the charity’s funding, adding: “It actually helped tremendously to complete the deal and also enabled us to do cases for the NHS patients.”
Whilst this pioneering treatment is new to the UK and Europe, it is already being used in the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, with the treatment expanding to Singapore.
Shelly Thake, Chief Executive at ACT, said: “I’m so proud that ACT, thanks to our generous supporters, has been able to play an important role in bringing this pioneering and life-saving new treatment not only to Addenbrooke’s, but to the UK and Europe. Histotripsy gives hope to many cancer patients who now have a new, non-invasive treatment option, and builds on the already incredible work being carried out here at Addenbrooke’s by world-leading clinicians and researchers who are changing the story of cancer through early diagnosis, personalised treatment, and pioneering new equipment and techniques. ACT is proud to be playing a part in making this possible, and we’re grateful beyond words to our supporters.”
Roger Jackson, 80, from Bedford, the first patient in Europe to be treated using Histotripsy, said: “I feel privileged to be the first NHS patient and to receive this care was an amazing experience. It is impressive to think that sound waves can treat cancer, without the need for patients like me to go through intensive surgery, at what already is a stressful time. I’m hugely grateful to the team at Addenbrooke’s for their specialist care and expertise.”
Roger Jackson from Bedford, the first NHS patient to receive histotripsy at CUH, outside a trial setting. Credit: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH)
After treatment last week, Mr Jackson was discharged the following day and is back at home. He said he is now looking forward to spending time with his family, including his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The installation of the Edison Histotripsy System at Addenbrooke’s was made possible by a generous donation to the University of Cambridge from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, a long-standing supporter of cancer research in Cambridge. The technology, developed by US-based HistoSonics, has already treated over 2,000 patients worldwide following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for the destruction of liver tumours in 2023.
Roger Jackson’s treatment is the first histotripsy procedure to take place after the equipment was granted Unmet Clinical Need Authorisation (UCNA) in Great Britain enabling time-limited, controlled early access to the Histotripsy device under the UK’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP) pilot programme. Overseen by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UCNA enables early market access to the medical device under certain conditions prior to full regulatory approval, meaning NHS patients can benefit from technology years earlier than planned.
With patient fundingfrom ACT, treatment is initially being offered to selected patients with tumours from primary and secondary liver cancers. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is exploring initiatives to fund research into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of histotripsy. Further studies are underway to explore its use in other cancer types.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This marks the beginning of a new generation in cancer treatment. We are lighting the fuse beneath the technological revolution, transforming care for NHS patients.
“By slashing red tape, we’ve made sure this game-changing new cancer treatment has reached the NHS front line quicker, and I’m proud to say British patients are now the first in Europe to benefit.
“This government has streamlined approval processes to create an NHS fit for the future – protecting patients while unleashing the full potential of our scientists and NHS staff so they can deliver world-class care.”
Roland Sinker, chief executive of CUH, said: “Histotripsy represents a hugely exciting and new era of cancer innovation and care.
“With faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays, this not only reduces the strain on our hospital beds, but it also frees up surgeons to focus on the more complex cancer cases, helping to cut waiting times.
“We are delighted to be at the forefront of this new ground-breaking technology and understanding how we can treat cancer more accurately and precisely, a position we aim to strengthen further with our planned Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.”
The specialist hospital, set to be built on Europe’s largest life science campus, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, is a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge. By bringing world-leading scientists and clinical expertise together in one NHS building, the new hospital will treat patients across the East of England and will accelerate research and innovations to change the story of cancer across the UK and beyond. Find out more here.
ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide and is raising money to help build both the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
Addenbrooke’s is currently setting up a referral pathway, so the histotripsy technology can be made available to patients at Addenbrooke’s and beyond. External referrals will be considered through a consultant referral, and suitability for the treatment will be decided by medical teams based on the cancer location, size, extent and overall patient’s fitness.
No other provider is offering histotripsy in the UK at the moment.
We recommend patients speak to their consultant if they have any questions about being referred for treatment. If you already have a referral, and have further questions for the Cambridge team, please email cuh.histotripsyenquiries@nhs.net.
Teams taking part in this year’s 2025 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival have done it again – beating last year’s fundraising total to raise an impressive £40,000 for the new Cambridge Cancer Hospital (CCRH).
Thanking everyone who took part – from teams of rowers to volunteers who helped on the day, to friends and families and members of the public who came along to watch – Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust’s Head of Community Fundraising, Donna Lee-Willis described Saturday’s event as “brilliant.”
“It was such a great atmosphere, and I thought all the races were really close this year. When you are watching, you really can’t call some of them, especially in the final – which was great.”
A total of 43 teams and around 600 competitors – including a last-minute entry from ACT after one team dropped out and donated their boat to the charity – raced 30ft Dragon Boats up a 200-metre stretch of river at Fen Ditton, with a novice team claiming first place this year.
The ‘Rowfessors’ from Illumina dressed as mad professorsRosie midwives dressed as characters from The Very Hungry Catapillar
Many of the teams dressed up for the annual event, organised by NewWave Events for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) and sponsored for the second year running by Illumina to raise money for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH).
The new specialist hospital for the East of England is bringing world-leading research and clinical excellence together, to change the story of cancer, and improve the lives of cancer patients across the UK and beyond.
Built over seven floors, the new hospital will house three world-leading University of Cambridge research institutes focussing on early detection, integrated cancer medicine and precision breast cancer medicine to accelerate and bring new innovations to the bedside faster, detect cancer earlier and treat it more precisely.
Praising teams for their fundraising, Donna said: “Everyone that took part said there was a connection to the cancer hospital in some way or another and I definitely think this helped everyone get behind the fundraising, knowing what they were fundraising for.”
As well as the races, bankside entertainment included lion dances and Tai Chai displays from the Cambridge Chinese community, with family-friendly entertainment provided by Illumina, including strawberry DNA extraction and dragon chain making. There was also a caricature artist as well as face painting – with live coverage and interviews on the day from Cambridge Radio presenters Gavin Richards and Fen Orr Ewing, with print coverage from the Cambridge Independent.
ACT staff were also there on the day, running a Guess the Dog’s name competition (Biscuit!), hook a duck and a prize raffle.
A highlight of the day included a flypast from a 1945 Lancaster Bomber – the UK’s only surviving flying Bomber, nicknamed ‘Thumper’ – which flew over the river before circling back round a couple of times to dip its wings to the waiting crowds.
Donna said other memorable moments from the festival included “the screaming coming from the Illumina tent from the team dressed as the mad professors as they pulled off their eyebrows and moustaches” as well as the Rosie Maternity Team, dressed as characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Senior midwife Annie West had stayed up until 2.30am the day of the festival hand sewing all the costumes, with midwife and boat drummer, Bethany Franqueira, deciding to shout ‘Push!’ to her team, rather than ‘one, two!’
Mark Robinson, VP and GM, UK and Ireland, said: “Illumina is proud to once again have joined forces with ACT to support the 2025 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival. This year’s event was a fantastic success, bringing our teams together in support of a vital cause. It’s always inspiring to see the energy and generosity of our community as we raise funds for the new Cancer Research Hospital at Addenbrooke’s. We’re honoured to play a part in improving outcomes for children with cancer and giving back to the communities where we live and work.”
Lucy Morton, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: “There was a great turnout this year with lots of new teams which is always nice to see, with absolutely fantastic fundraising efforts from everyone. We were really happy to see the sun shining and the fly past was the icing on the cake for us as it hasn’t been done for a few years.”
“Thank you to all of our event and media partners – Illumina, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, Cambridge Radio and Cambridge Independent.”
Nikki Murphy, Deputy Project Director for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital said: “Many thanks to everyone who came to the Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival this weekend, including all the crews, supporters and donors. This year’s event raised around £40,000 for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, which will detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely, and save more lives. We would also like to extend our thanks to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust for organising such a great event! We entered our own crew for the second year running and it was fabulous to have our team of staff and patients involved in such a fun event.”
The best dressed category went to the ‘Rowfessors’ – one of Illumina’s three teams, dressed as mad professors in white lab coats, wild white wigs and stick-on eyebrows and moustaches. Highly Commended in the category went to the Rosie Maternity Hospital team, dressed as characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Ark Colour Design, dressed as sunflowers.
Charity Trophy for top fundraiser went to Crestel Projects Limited, who as of Saturday had raised just shy of £1,700. Commended went to Ark Colour Design; Illumina; Thaxted Dragons; Telefonica Tech; Cambridge Vacuum Engineering and Cheffins (all who raised over £1,000). A special thank you goes to The Tivoli in Cambridge for donating a Mini Golf session with prosecco and pizzas for the top prize.
In Mixed Crew (minimum of five female paddlers), 3rd place went to The Savillians from Savills; Runners up went to Hawaii Five-O from Four Corners Farming, with the Winning team – aptly named – The Winner Is! from TWI Ltd (UK).
Festival champions were Dragon Boat novices – Bango
Festival champions were Dragon Boat novices – Bango – whose exciting reaction to hearing they’d won was great to watch! They came first with a time of 62.79 seconds. 4th place went to the Railway Arms with a time of 63.44; 3rd place went to Penta Row Paddlers from Pentaco Construction, with 63.27 and runners up went to Speedy Boaty from TWI Ltd (UK) with a time of 63.06.
ACT would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone taking part who made this such a special event – with a pledge to make it ‘even bigger and better’ next year.
Donna Lee-Willis said: “Next year is going to be even bigger and better. We are going to raise more, have more teams and also add more activities on the day for families and entertaining.”
If you would like to donate to Cancer services at Addenbrooke’s and the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, please visit: www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/cancer
A Cambridge Institution has joined forces with a much-loved hospital charity to launch its 30th birthday celebrations.
This year, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official hospital charity for both Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals, is celebrating its 30th birthday.
To mark this special milestone, Fitzbillies in Cambridge hosted the launch of the birthday celebrations at its shop and tea rooms in Trumpington Street on Thursday 15 May – with a special gathering of fundraisers and hospital staff, all of whom have been directly involved with the work of the charity.
For its 30th year, ACT is asking fundraisers to ‘pour a little kindness’ for the hospitals by hosting a tea party for Addenbrooke’s.
Keeping with the theme, Fitzbillies, which has been serving Chelsea Buns and hearty breakfasts since 1920, unveiled a special window display which will be there for all its customers to see from now until September.
As the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, ACT funds equipment and research, as well as improvements to the environment for both staff and patients, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide – and in the past 30 years alone, has invested more than £150 million in the hospitals.
The charity evokes a fierce sense of loyalty amongst its fundraisers, many of whom start their fundraising journey as a result of care that either they, or close family members or friends have received at the hospitals. As a result, fundraisers for ACT work tirelessly towards hitting their targets – many of them continuing to do so through some quite challenging times in their lives.
To mark those personal journeys, all of the guests at Thursday’s birthday event had some kind of personal involvement and story to tell. Guests included:
Consultant Colorectal and Robotic Surgeon, Atanu Pal, who ran a 26-mile virtual London Marathon during Covid, spelling the word ROBOT, to help fundraise for ACT’s £1.5 million public appeal to buy a da Vinci Xi dual console surgical system for the hospital – which with the hospital’s existing robotic surgical systems has allowed some groundbreaking ‘firsts’ to happen.
Ingela Oberg, Lead Cancer Nurse at CUH, who spoke to guests about all the cancer services ACT had directly funded including an outpatient’s garden and a modern, spacious Haematology Day Unit for patients with blood cancers which has allowed 200 more patients to be seen every month.
Senior midwives Annie West, Tanya Cole and Becky Anderson who were part of a team of midwives who tackled Snowdon and the Yorkshire Three Peaks for ACT – raising over £8,000 for the charity. ACT donated £7.5 million towards the cost of a new extension to the Rosie maternity hospital, which was opened by the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in 2013 and included an expanded birth centre and one of the biggest neonatal units in the UK.
Fundraiser Joyce Cripps and her daughter Julie Halls. Joyce has pledged to fundraise for ACT ‘to the end of my days’ after daughter Julie underwent a lifesaving liver transplant at Addenbrooke’s. Joyce and her husband John are now close to raising £30,000 for Addenbrooke’s by the end of the year.
ACT was born out of two existing charities dating back to the 1990s – when a group of fundraisers got together to raise money for the first full body scanner in the City.
Since then, ACT has donated in excess of £150 million to the hospitals and as well as funding research and equipment for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, it is behind two major public campaigns to see the building of two new groundbreaking hospitals in the City – the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
Fitzbillies owners Tim Hayward and partner Alison Wright said it had been an easy decision to support ACT after Tim – described by The Irish Times as ‘arguably of the world’s best food writers’ – was admitted to Addenbrooke’s in November 2020 with COVID-19. He required treatment using a ventilator and suffered a pulmonary embolism. He was discharged after a month, having spent 14 days in a coma, and later described himself as “lucky to have lived.”
Tim gave a very moving speech on the day, bringing a few tears to people’s eyes as he thanked staff for his amazing care.
“My gratitude to Addenbrooke’s knows no bounds; I wouldn’t be here without the excellent staff and support of the hospital. Thank goodness for world-class care and the fantastic work of ACT. Long may it continue.”
As part of their support, Fitzbillies has designed a special 30th chocolate cupcake for ACT, and for each one sold during the month of July, the bakery will donate £1 to the charity. In addition, Fitzbillies will donate 20% of sales from the Addenbrooke’s collection of tea party items including scones, jam and cream, which can be found on their website.
Fitzbillies Co-Owner Alison Wright, who won a lifetime achievement award in the Cambridge Independent Business Awards 2024 for rescuing the 104-year-old iconic bakery and cafe, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting such a wonderful organisation this summer. So many of our customers have a connection to Addenbrooke’s, either as residents of Cambridge or as medical or research staff at the hospital. The work of saving and improving lives is vital, and Fitzbillies is honoured to be able to contribute even in a small way during this milestone year of the charity. We love any excuse for cake, and we hope that our chocolate cupcake will raise plenty for ACT in July.”
Speaking at the launch of the charity’s 30th birthday celebrations, the charity’s Chief Executive, Shelly Thake, pictured third from left with ACT colleagues, said:
“With Fitzbillies’ kind support it means two much-loved institutions within the City can join forces to raise money for a very special cause. Anyone wanting to host their own tea party for Addenbrooke’s can use Fitzbillies’ own recipes for their popular chocolate cake and scones which are included in a special tea party pack which can be ordered on our website.”
Consultant Colorectal and Robotic Surgeon, Atanu Pal, who fundraised for the da Vinci robot, said: “Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust has a huge impact in our hospitals, on a daily and ongoing basis, for patients and staff. Walking through the hospital, I see how the kind and generous supporters of the charity make a huge difference. Through the Robot Appeal, this fantastic support got us across the finish line to bring the benefits of robotic surgery to more patients in Cambridge.”
“I was involved in fundraising for this. When I ran my 26-mile Virtual London Marathon back in 2021, during the pandemic, I really wanted to help raise funds for the new robot because, as surgeon here, I knew the great impact it would have on patient care, as well as in our work as surgical teams. Robot-assisted surgery is less invasive, being done through smaller incisions than open surgery, so promoting a faster recovery, reducing the hospital stay, so that patients can get back to their homes and families sooner.”
Pictured at the time of his Virtual Marathon, with his route above, Atanu said: “Now when I think back to my run, proudly wearing my ACT running shirt, I remember passing some of Cambridge’s most iconic landmarks – the beautiful university buildings, the river, and of course Fitzbillies – my go-to for sweet treats as a medical student! I feel really proud to have been part of the team of supporters who helped ACT hit its £1.5 million target to buy the da Vinci robotic system. I cannot stress enough how much of a difference ACT and their supporters make to the lives of those in our two hospitals and I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the 30th birthday of such an important charity.”
Ingela Oberg, Lead Cancer Nurse at CUH, said: “Every day around 13 people face a new cancer diagnosis at CUH. Over the last few years, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust has transformed cancer services at the hospital by funding projects such as the outpatient’s garden to allow cancer patients a quiet haven away from the hospital; a state-of-the-art surgical robot allowing minimally invasive surgery for prostate patients; a modern, spacious Haematology Day unit for patients with blood cancers allowing 200 more patients to be seen every month; 2 ECP machines to treat the terrible side effects following bone marrow transplantation and a ‘Biopsee’ machine to diagnose and identify prostate cancer.”
“ACT’s support does not stop there, however, and donations to the charity will go towards the building of the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH), to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029. As the first specialist cancer hospital for the East of England, it will allow clinicians to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely and save more lives.”
Annie West, a senior midwife at the Rosie, said: “We’ve had ultrasound scanners and cots bought for us by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust so we get to see first-hand what money is being spent on – which is why as a team we decided to take on two challenges to help raise some money ourselves; Mount Snowdon in 2023 followed by the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge a year later. Knowing how important ACT is to the hospital is what kept us going during both our challenges and to know we raised over £8,000 for the charity is such a satisfying feeling!”
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 £500 for further investment into this groundbreaking medical technology. He has since exceeded his goal, going on to raise a staggering £50,000.
David’s £50,000 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.
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 £50,000 which will go to melanoma research and the £14 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 £12,000 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 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.
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 £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. 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 £14 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.
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.’
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!”
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.”
