22
October
2013
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01:00
Europe/London
Women fighting cancer launch fundraising for Manchester Cancer Research Centre
Three inspirational women who have each lost their hair due to chemotherapy have had stunning artworks painted on to their heads to help launch a fundraising campaign for the new Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), a partnership between The University of Manchester, Cancer Research UK and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
Katie Thorburn, aged 16, Dawn Craddock, aged 37, and 46-year-old Pam Rhodes used their hair loss to bold effect in a bid to highlight the importance of pioneering cancer research.
They worked closely with renowned body artist Emma Allen who got to know their innermost visions of what it means to have more time to spend with family and friends.
It is hoped the mesmerising results, captured by photographer Josh Shinner, whose images are often used by Vogue, will kick-start a huge fundraising campaign for the completion of the new £28.5m MCRC.
The “More Tomorrows” initiative aims to generate the remaining £6million needed to complete the new research centre - the largest of its kind in Europe which is due for completion in summer 2014.
The centre, which is being built in Withington, will revolutionise cancer treatment in the North West.
Aspiring model Katie Thorburn, from Heaton Mersey, recently celebrated her 16th birthday.
She developed pains in her legs in September 2012 and became concerned as it was affecting her ability to play netball.
When she saw a private consultant who immediately recommended an MRI scan, her family realised there could be something seriously wrong with Katie.
The Stockport Grammar School pupil was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of cancer in the bone, aged just 14, and began months of gruelling chemotherapy treatment which meant losing her beautiful, long dark hair.
Katie underwent surgery in January of this year to replace from her shin to above the knee with metal. However, she was quickly back on her feet and tried not to rely on a wheelchair.
Sadly, over the summer a scan revealed the cancer had returned and spread to Katie’s lungs and the base of her skull.
She said: “Being diagnosed with cancer at such a young age was a terrible shock, but I just needed to face it head-on and cope the best I can for my friends and family.
“I was thrilled with the design painted on my head. I love pastels and patterns and just wanted something simple and elegant which was similar to the kind of colours of make-up I use. My head was painted in the same week I celebrated my 16th birthday and I’d been shopping a lot, my favourite pastime, and looking at lots of different dresses and shoes of similar colours.
“The More Tomorrows fundraising campaign is so important as the new research centre will help future generations affected by cancer and I want to make sure nobody has to go through what I’ve been through.”
Brave mum-of-two Dawn Craddock, from Heywood, aged 37, is battling secondary breast cancer. Her cancer is being controlled thanks to signing up for a clinical trial, but the disease is sadly incurable.
Dawn was originally diagnosed with breast cancer while weaning youngest daughter Rachel who was aged one at the time.
She assumed she had developed a blocked milk duct when she found a lump on her breast.
Dawn underwent a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy treatment.
While recovering from her mastectomy, her little boy Lewis was involved in a serious car accident and now needs the aid of a wheelchair.
Dawn said: “I intend to be around for as long as possible for my family. When Lewis was involved in the car accident, it was a bigger shock than my own cancer diagnosis and put everything into perspective.
“Taking part in this project has been an absolute joy for me. I really loved the artwork on my head and cried when I had to wash it off in the shower! I wanted very bold, bright colours such as rainbows to show my positive attitude to fighting the disease.
“Without the amazing strides made in research, then I wouldn’t be here now, so it is vital that as many people as possible think about fundraising for More Tomorrows.”
Pam Rhodes, from Flixton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in April of this year. The 46-year-old, who lives with husband Karl and their teenage twins Jess and Dan, had found a small lump on her breast. Following a mammogram, ultrasound scan and a biopsy, Pam was given the devastating news she had cancer.
She said: “Being involved in the More Tomorrows art project has been so exciting and a real diversion for me during a tough time in my life. I was keen for a design which represented the key people in my life, including my sister-in-law who sadly died. We always associate butterflies with her, so it was lovely for butterflies to be included in the design.”
Cancer Research UK, The Christie and The University of Manchester have worked closely together under the umbrella of ‘Manchester Cancer Research Centre’ since 2006, but the new building in Withington will provide an opportunity to work collaboratively under the same roof.
Stuart Pepper, Chief Laboratory Officer at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute which is based at The University of Manchester, said: “We are very much in a ‘golden age’ of cancer research, having come a long way in the last 40 years with survival rates driven up by improvements in treatments and early diagnosis.
“However, we still have a long way to go in the fight against the disease. To take our life-saving research to the next level, we need more laboratories and more world-class scientists. Meeting these inspirational women and seeing the stunning artwork spurs me on as they are the reason the new research centre is needed.
“Manchester already has an impressive legacy in cancer research, but the new centre will put the city on the world map for helping to save lives. By supporting the fundraising campaign, people in the North West will be giving hope to future generations ensuring more families have “More Tomorrows” with their loved ones.”
Both artist Emma Allen and photographer Josh Shinner gave up their time free of charge to be involved in the project.
Emma said: “Meeting these amazing women and their families has been a very humbling and moving experience. They are all courageous and have amazed me with their positive attitude.
“I am so thrilled they all loved the designs and hope the artwork will inspire as many people as possible to think about fundraising for the More Tomorrows campaign.”
In Greater Manchester alone, around 13,200 people are diagnosed with cancer every year – that’s 36 people affected every day.
For more information on the “More Tomorrows” fundraising campaign and the Manchester Cancer Research Centre visit: www.moretomorrows.org
Ends
Notes for editors
For press enquiries please contact Jane Bullock on 07810 505535
About the new cancer research building
The new building is vital to support ongoing expansion of research activities with tremendous potential for future breakthroughs that improve treatment for cancer patients. It will provide space for around 250 staff and complements existing facilities on the site, promoting collaboration between doctors and scientists to take cancer research from the laboratory to the clinic. The building is expected to be operational in summer 2014.
About Cancer Research UK
• Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
• The charity’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
• Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
• Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1861 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
The Christie
The Christie specialises in cancer treatment, research and education, and is the largest cancer centre in Europe.
As well as treating 40,000 patients a year from across the UK, its experts have been pioneering cancer research breakthroughs for more than 100 years.
An NHS Foundation Trust with a dedicated charity, 2,500 staff, 350 volunteers and 26,000 public members, The Christie is based in Manchester with radiotherapy centres in Oldham and Salford.
As well as housing the largest single site early phase clinical trials in the world, with around 400 trials taking place at any one time, it became the first UK centre to be officially accredited as a comprehensive cancer centre.
The Christie also has its own School of Oncology – the first of its kind– enhancing the education and knowledge of healthcare professionals across the country.
The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester, a member of the Russell Group, is one of the largest and most popular universities in the UK. It has 20 academic schools and hundreds of specialist research groups undertaking pioneering multi-disciplinary teaching and research of worldwide significance. According to the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, The University of Manchester is one of the country’s major research institutions, rated third in the UK in terms of ‘research power’. The University had an annual income of £809 million in 2010/11.