Twitter Linkedin Facebook Instagram
Get in Touch
icom_donate

Donate Today
icon_get_involved

Get Involved
icon_friend

Friends of

Lily’s story

Just after her 1st birthday, Lily was diagnosed with a soft tissue tumour. Her mum, Clair, shares Lily’s story and stresses the importance of childhood cancer research in helping to one day find a cure for children like Lily, so other families don’t have to go through such heartbreak.

“Lily was born on 10th February 2011. She has two older brothers called Oliver and Rowan. Two weeks after Lily’s 1st birthday, we found a lump on her left thigh. It was about the size of a small egg and it didn’t seem to be bothering her – it really just appeared overnight.

“After a trip to the doctors to get it checked out, we were admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital for a couple of days for treatment for an infection. During her stay the hospital carried out further tests to establish exactly what the lump was. It was after having an ultrasound scan they decided it must be a tumour. We were then told to go home and pack for a few days stay at The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in Ward 84.

Diagnosis

“After further tests and examinations, Lily was finally diagnosed on 13th March with a tumour called Rhabdomyosarcoma, which is a soft tissue tumour mainly found in boys. She started a six-month course of chemotherapy, so had to stay in hospital every three weeks for three days. She also had surgery in June to remove the tumour which, by this time, had reduced in size significantly.

“Lily sailed through her treatment and on 12th September she completed her last course of chemotherapy. Then on 17th October, she had a temperature and had to be admitted to hospital for a couple of days to be treated for an infection. But a week later, Lily’s temperature had risen again and, after more tests, we were given the devastating news that Lily had relapsed and they had found four more tumours on her lungs. The cancer was back.

“Lily was transferred the following day back onto Ward 84 to start more chemotherapy, but her breathing was deteriorating fast and she had to be put on oxygen. Then on Saturday 3rd November, Lily was transferred onto the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and was sedated and put onto a life support machine to help with her breathing.

“She stayed there for three weeks. There were ups and downs, good days and bad days. Eventually we were told that, even if the chemo worked to get rid of the tumours, they had caused so much damage that her lungs were  irreparable and Lily would never recover. Lily was also starting to deteriorate day by day. So it was with great sadness that we agreed that her life support should be removed.”

Lily passed away on 22nd November 2012 in the arms of her mummy and daddy.

Importance of childhood cancer research

“Unfortunately, cancer happens and we don’t know how or why people get it. But I do know that if it hadn’t been for the childhood cancer research that has been done over the last 10-20 years, Lily’s life would have been cut short a lot sooner after diagnosis. Thankfully her treatment meant that we were able to spend an extra amazing nine months with her. By her side every day, making lovely special memories that we can keep forever. Hopefully one day we will get the breakthrough that we need to find the cure that means that no more families will have to be broken like ours.”

Donate Today
Friends of Rosie

Useful Links

Legal

Contact Us

Helen Griffin
Communications Manager
07887 932293

Children’s Cancer Research Fund,
c/o Slater Heelis,
86 Deansgate,
Manchester M3 2ER

Twitter Linkedin Facebook Instagram Youtube

© 2025 Children’s Cancer Research Fund | Charity No. 1046278 | Website by ATTAIN.

Nancy Dykes

Nancy Dykes

Nancy, 11, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma when she was just 2 years old. She was treated with Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) in Germany but unfortunately relapsed less than a year later. The family were then sent to Germany for a second round of PBT. Although treatment helped to cure Nancy’s cancer, she has been left with lots of lasting effects which will require ongoing treatment throughout her life. Here Nancy and her mum, Antonia, share their story in the hope it will help others, raise awareness, and raise more money for children’s cancer research.

Watch Story
Prof John Hickman

Prof John Hickman

Why I am a Trustee of CCRF
 
I am a relative of the Larkin family and knew Rosie Larkin ( Friends of Rosie, now CCRF) when she had and then died of neuroblastoma, aged six. At that time, I was a scientist and professor at Manchester University, actively working on the problem of why some cancers do not die despite intensive and toxic therapies.  Seeing Rosie during her unsuccessful therapy and then attending her funeral, besides being emotional, drove me to double down on my own research as well as to support the Charity as best I could as a cancer researcher. I spent over a decade as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the CCRF, when the Board moulded policies to ensure that funds raised for research into childhood cancers were distributed only to clinicians and researchers who had the brightest ideas that could impact of cancer medicine for children.
 
My role on the Board
 
As a Trustee,  I hope that my many decades of experience in cancer research and medicine can help the CCRF determine where best the funds that are raised can be invested in cutting edge research and medicine. I am also keen that the CCRF brings together UK and international experts in science and cancer medicine to brainstorm on how best to advance the treatment of childhood cancers.
 
My Background
 
I was a Professor of Pharmacology at Manchester University, working on drug resistance in cancer. I then moved to Paris, where I still live, to head cancer drug discovery at a French pharmaceutical company (Servier). I then headed an EU consortium for six years that brought together researchers from the pharmaceutical industry, universities and biotechnology companies, from all over Europe and the UK, to improve cancer drug discovery. I continue to be active in cancer health policy, publishing in the medical literature.
Katrina

Katrina London

Why I am a Trustee of CCRF

I have spent my professional career representing individuals and families affected by the devastating asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, which has no cure and for which there are only a limited number of palliative treatments available on the NHS.

I joined CCRF because I wanted to bring my understanding of the need to raise awareness of less well known cancers and passion for the need to secure improved funding for research to children facing a cancer diagnosis.

My role on the Board

I am responsible for oversight of our collaboration agreements with other charities to co-fund research into cures and treatments for childhood cancers. I also manage our challenge events and help with community fundraising. 

My Background

I am a Senior Associate at Irwin Mitchell LLP and specialise in Asbestos Disease Litigation, acting on behalf of victims of asbestos related diseases and their families.  Over the years, I have undertaken a number of fundraising challenges to raise money for cancer research, including a 1000 mile cycle ride from Glasgow to Southampton.   

Carla

Carla Nuttall

Why I’m a Trustee of CCRF
 
I became a trustee of the Children’s Cancer Research Fund because I believe every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy and with everything to look forward to in life. Like many people, I’ve seen the impact cancer can have on families and I wanted to do something that could make a real difference. This started through my work as an ambassador for Cyclists Fighting Cancer, which supported young people and their families in finding strength, confidence, and joy through movement.
 
That experience shaped my understanding of the challenges families face and the importance of community-led support – but crucially, the clear need for that to go hand-in-hand with targeted research and long-term solutions.
 
This is why I’m so passionate about the work CCRF does and proud to contribute to a cause that gives children and their families, the greatest chance of living a life without limits.
 
My Role on the Board
 
I support CCRF’s mission by bringing my experience in brand, marketing, and communications to the board. My focus is on helping CCRF tell its story in a way that resonates with people – whether that’s families, researchers, donors, or the wider public. I work alongside an incredible team to strengthen CCRF’s voice, build trust, and grow awareness so that more children and families can benefit from the breakthroughs we’re helping to fund.
 
My Background
 
I’m the Executive Director of Corporate Affairs and Marketing for The Growth Company, a social enterprise dedicated to helping people, businesses, and places to thrive through its market-leading insight, employment, skills and business support.
My passion is to help the organisations I work with to communicate with clarity, purpose, and integrity. That’s why I’ve spent my career in strategic communications supporting organisations that want to make a positive difference – CCRF could not fit my sense of purpose any better.