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Friends of

Author: Helen Griffin

Thanks to Manchester United Supporters Club

manchester united

A huge thank you to the Middleton Manchester United Supporters Club for their kind and generous support. We recently received a much needed donation of £500 from the club to support children’s cancer research projects. The club chose Friends of Rosie as one of their members lost their grandchild earlier this year to leukaemia at […]

Fundraising Trustee – we need you!

fundraising trustee

If you are an experienced fundraising trustee, we need your help. This is a volunteer position and we can guarantee you huge satisfaction and enjoyment. Plus the opportunity to make a real difference for children with cancer. We want to ensure that every penny donated to us is spent in the most effective way to […]

Our Young Ambassador on BBC News

Young Ambassador

Our Young Ambassador, Ruth Grace, recently appeared on BBC North West Tonight. Her appearance coincided with her return to school after almost four years in treatment. You can watch the programme here. Ruth Grace, from Manchester, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, when she was eight years old. She had a horrific […]

Ruth Grace – our Young Ambassador

Ruth Grace smiling

This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we’re delighted to introduce Ruth Grace Crosby as our first ever Friends of Rosie Young Ambassador. Ruth Grace was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, when she was eight years old in October 2016. As a Friends of Rosie Young Ambassador, she’ll be supporting the charity in promoting […]

Jude’s Story

Jude Anderton

Jude Anderton was 11 years old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer. He went from a happy, highly active boy to being desperately ill in such a short space of time. His mum, Helen, shares his story to help raise awareness for childhood bone cancer and the vital need for more research: “I remember […]

Friends of Rosie on BBC North West Tonight

BBC North West

Friends of Rosie appeared on BBC North West Tonight last week, highlighting the vital need for more children’s cancer research. As well as talking about our latest research project, which is one of the biggest steps forward in childhood bone cancer research in the past 40 years. Listen to Friends of Rosie founder, Lisa Larkin, […]

Scientists discover way to stop spread of devastating bone cancer in children

Research, co-funded by Friends of Rosie, could save more lives and lead to kinder treatments for children with bone cancer. Researchers at The University of Manchester and the University of East Anglia and have made what may be the most significant step forward for children with one of the most common childhood cancers in 40 […]

eBay’s Big Charity Sell

eBay's Big Charity Sell

Declutter, donate, and nominate a friend a do the same via eBay’s Big Charity Sell. We are calling for our supporters to sell your unwanted items on eBay and donate up to 100% of the proceeds to Friends of Rosie, helping to raise vital funds for children with cancer, as well as reducing waste. Charities […]

Oscar and George’s 2.6 challenge

twopointsixchallenge

Oscar, aged 8, and George, aged 6, spent last week completing their 2.6 challenge for Friends of Rosie, raising £604 with gift aid. They asked family and friends to set them a series of challenges to do with the numbers 2.6 or 26. The challenges ranged from 26 press-ups and star jumps, to reading 26 […]

£70,000 Proton Beam Therapy project to treat sarcomas in children

Friends of Rosie has awarded a grant of £70,000 to kickstart promising new research into the use of Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) to treat sarcomas in children. The project is being led by researchers at The University of Manchester, with support from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. It is investigating the biology of protons used […]

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Helen Griffin
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07887 932293

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© 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.

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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.