neurosurgeon Archives - Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust

A leading hospital charity in the East of England has been praised for its early investment in promising medical professionals at the start of their careers – providing them with the support they need to help bring potential breakthroughs in patient care and treatments.

Speaking at last week’s annual John Addenbrooke Lecture (JAL), organised by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, Roland Sinker, CBE, Chief Executive of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), which governs Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Maternity, said: “In this ecosystem at the absolute heart are the donors and the major partners and that’s why it is so fantastic to have a partner like Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) who are at the centrepiece of trying to help us move this ecosystem forward, often providing us with the pump priming funding, the impetus, the additional step that we need to take things forward.”

“If we look at what ACT has delivered for this ecosystem, the range of things is really quite staggering… everything from precision breast cancer, which has turned itself into big national changes to pathways; support in surgical robotics, and at the heart of the patient story, the work around My ICU voice which lets patients – when they are at their most vulnerable – communicate with the team who are looking after them and their family.”

The lecture, which was held at AstraZeneca’s building on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, brings together ACT supporters and donors to highlight the impact of the charity’s work – made possible only through the direct support of donors.

This year’s speakers were Dr Aditi Vedi, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist and Clinical Trialist and Professor Richard Mair, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgical Oncology at the University of Cambridge and Honorary Consultant Neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, who during his talk ‘Transforming Survival in Brain Cancer’ thanked ACT for funding a fellowship which gave him the launch pad for his career.

Dr Vedi also thanked ACT, discussing how supporters of the charity had helped enhance patient access to trials in Cambridge through operational funding and co-funding research alongside commercial and research partners.

Speaking after the lecture, Paul White, Director of Communications and Impact at ACT, said: “We are incredibly proud of our track record of identifying and backing brilliant medical professionals early in their careers. We are very fortunate that our wonderful supporters provide us with the funds – and trust – to be able to support people like Richard and Aditi because we can see their brilliance and potential. By giving them the launchpad for their career, by providing funding for their fellowship, it means they have the potential to develop their research further which in turn gives them the potential to provide a breakthrough in patient care and treatments further down the line.”

“What both our speakers at this year’s JAL have talked about – more targeted therapies and precision medicine – is at the forefront of the care that will be provided at the two new hospitals we’re building here in Cambridge; the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital. These hospitals will bring amazing clinicians like Richard and Aditi together to progress diagnosis and treatment of illnesses we should be beating faster than we’ve ever been able to before. Every one of the supporters that joined us at this event have been part of the unique ecosystem that is providing hope to children with cancers and patients with brain tumours, and they should feel very proud of that.”

Professor Mair said the title of his presentation – ‘Transforming Survival in Brain Cancer’, was “probably more of an optimistic title than anything necessarily grounded in fact at the moment. But I do think we’re on the start of a journey that perhaps we could have some impact that would be transformational.”

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust funded Professor Mair’s Fellowship back in 2013 – with Professor Mair telling the audience, “The only people who gave me a chance were ACT.”

“I got my first break with ACT to come down to Cambridge to do some research so I am hugely grateful for what ACT was able to do for me and my career, so it’s wonderful to be able to give that back a little bit and talk about what we’ve been doing in brain cancer.”

Professor Mair spoke about his work on the Minderoo Precision Brain Tumour Programme (MPBTP), a collaboration between the Minderoo Foundation, the University of Cambridge, the NHS and Illumina which aims to give more precise and effective care for brain cancer patients on the NHS, with the potential to revolutionise treatment and improve survival rates.

Patients with the most aggressive and fatal form of brain tumour, called glioblastoma, are being offered a detailed diagnosis and tailored treatment plan, based on genomic sequencing.

In her talk, Dr Vedi spoke about the importance of not just looking at targeted treatments but also reducing therapies where possible – telling the audience, “Obviously, targeted therapies are a part of it but I think reducing therapy is going to be the key.”

Praising both speakers, ACT’s Chief Executive Shelly Thake, pictured below, said: “What I see in Aditi is someone who rings true of every clinician that I meet in the hospital – someone who is dedicated, committed and someone who wants to go one step further every time for their patients.”

And of Richard, she said: “The future of patients that get brain cancer and brain tumours is very much more hopeful with the work that you’re doing with your colleagues both locally and globally and that is hugely encouraging.”

ACT’s President Dame Mary Archer, who was at the Lecture, praised ACT’s ability to invest in promising medical professionals early in their careers and said: “I’m very honoured and proud to be the President of ACT at this momentous anniversary time and I think ACT can be congratulated on spotting Richard’s potential so early on.”

ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds high-tech equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. This year the charity celebrates its 30^th year – and has revealed that in the first 30 years alone its supporters have donated more than £150 million towards supporting innovation in patient care.

Click here to donate to ACT to help fund ground-breaking research and cutting-edge equipment within our hospitals.

Click here to find out more about the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and to donate.

She may not have gone through to the finals – but we couldn’t be more proud of her!

Liza Putwain, our nominee for this year’s ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year, may not have gone through to the finals of this year’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2025 – but we couldn’t be prouder of her and everything she has achieved!

As one of only four stories to be put through from the hundreds originally nominated, Liza Putwain’s story talks of resilience and strength – and thinking of others whilst battling life’s challenges herself.

In true Liza style, our amazing fundraiser from Suffolk contacted the winners from her region, Anglia East, to congratulate them on going through to next month’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain finals telling them she was glad they won.

Shelly Thake, Chief Executive of the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), described 45-year-old Liza Putwain as ‘truly special’ and thanked her for everything she has done for the hospital charity.

“She may not have got through to the finals but as a charity we could not be prouder of everything Liza and her family have achieved. As is evident from hearing Liza’s family, friends, and Mark, her surgeon, and meeting her several times myself, she is a truly special person and inspiration to her family and everyone she encounters.”

Judges in this year’s ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year Awards chose Liza as one of four nominees out of hundreds after reading her extraordinary story, saying: “Her kindness and care for others shone through in her nomination.”

Liza’s emotional story struck a chord with judges and was broadcast last week as one of four stories from the Anglia East region, which covers Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The winner was announced on Friday and will go through to the finals in London next month.

Liza, 45, a mother of three, broke her neck whilst taking part in an obstacle course in memory of her husband, Ian, who had died very suddenly after contracting a virus that all the family had had.

Following the accident in September 2023, Liza, a film studies teacher at Abbeygate Sixth Form College in Bury St Edmunds, was originally taken to Ipswich Hospital where she was told she had broken her neck and had suffered damage to her spinal cord. Not knowing if she would ever walk again, she was later transferred to Addenbrooke’s for her surgery and spent a month recovering in hospital.

Unable to move from her neck down, Liza had to rely on medical staff to do everything for her, from sitting her up in bed to prevent bed sores to scratching her nose to helping her into the shower and going to the toilet.

Apart from being terrified she might never walk again, Liza, a fiercely independent person, found it hard having to rely on others – but said it was her own personal experience of being in hospital that made her realise just how amazing staff are at Addenbrooke’s.

“You feel very infantilised because you have to ask someone to help you go to the toilet and wait until somebody’s ready to give you a shower. Particularly when you can’t get out of bed, and you press a button, but you have to wait. I know the NHS is overstretched but it’s not until you are actually in that bed that you realise that.”

As a result of her experiences, Liza decided to fundraise for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and stunned surgeons by running the London Marathon earlier this year – just over a year and a half after her accident.

Talking about why Addenbrooke’s is so special to her and why she wanted to fundraise for ACT to give something back to the hospital, Liza said: “I love Addenbrooke’s. It’s weird because you could go one way or another, and you could be like, I never want to see that hospital again, but I feel so safe here.”

In last week’s emotional piece, on-screen reporter Andy Ward filmed Liza at home with her sister, Jo, and best friends Jo and Pennie – who helped look after Liza’s three young children – Ella, 18; Sophie, 14; and her son Charlie, 11 – whilst she was in hospital and were there for her during her recovery.

Andy also interviewed Liza’s surgeon, Professor Mark Kotter, a neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s (pictured below) who was visibly moved during the interview when talking about Liza and her recovery, showing just how close the bond can be between patients and surgeons.

Shelly Thake, Chief Executive at ACT, congratulated Liza on her nomination and said: “Every single day at ACT, we get to hear amazing stories from our fundraisers – often very moving and inspirational stories about how they got to be involved in fundraising for Addenbrooke’s through our charity. Sometimes, however, there’s a really exceptional story that stops you in your tracks – and Liza’s is one of those.”

“I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have gone through what she has gone through – losing her husband unexpectedly after a brief illness and having to navigate that as a family with her three young children, then only to break her neck in a freak accident eight months later and not knowing if she would ever walk again or not. To go through all that and then get up and run the London Marathon the following year… Liza really is a true inspiration for all of us and someone who fully deserved her nomination.”

ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year special was judged by former Olympian and discus champion Bill Tancred; ITV Anglia presenter David Whiteley and ITV Anglia’s Head of News Emma Baker.

Bronwen Brown, who produced the channel’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year special, said when choosing which of their fundraisers were picked for the special, and which ones later went through to the finals, judges were looking for “a fantastic fundraiser who has selflessly raised money for an amazing cause.”

“Liza was shortlisted as one of the finalists for the regional show because her story is incredible. She has gone through multiple hardships and still thinks about others before herself, raising thousands for ACT. Her kindness and care for others shone through in her nomination.”

Nominees from the Anglia East region who went through to the finals of next month’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards were parents Amanda and Jon Sheehy who lost their daughter Amber to a brain tumour in 2023, an hour before her ninth birthday. The couple founded Amber’s Army, raising over £250,000 to help create memories for families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

ACT’s Chief Executive Shelly Thake speaking with Liza

Click here to watch Liza’s story again along with the other three nominees from the region, including Amanda and Jon Sheehy.

The finalist in the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2025 will be announced on the night, with the show broadcast live on ITV.

This year is now the second year running that some of our fundraisers have been nominated for ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year. Last year, we had two nominees in both the East and West region, David Bateson and Joyce Cripps. To read their story, click here.

Tag: neurosurgeon

ACT invests in promising medical professionals early in their careers – bringing potential breakthroughs in patient care and treatments

ACT thanks its Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year nominee – we couldn’t be prouder of you Liza!