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Author: Helen Griffin

Elizabeth’s cold shower challenge

lockdown fundraising

A massive well done to eight year old, Elizabeth, who has raised £350 with her cold shower challenge for children’s cancer research. Fantastic effort Elizabeth and a huge thank you to everyone who donated. We’re facing tough times ahead as a charity and you’ve helped ensure children with cancer aren’t forgotten. If Elizabeth has inspired […]

Daisy’s 2.6 Challenge

twopointsixchallenge

Daisy, aged nine, completed The 2.6 Challenge yesterday, Sunday 26th April, to raise money for Friends of Rosie. Her challenge included a 2.6k run, 26 skips, 26 star jumps, 26 burpees and 26 toilet roll keep ups. She raised £10 for each completed challenge, reaching a grand total of £50. Daisy is niece to our […]

New research to help prevent facial disfiguration in children with cancer

facial asymmetry

Friends of Rosie is funding new research into ways to decrease the risk of facial disfiguration in children with cancers in the head and neck. Says Professor John Hickman, Chair of Friends of Rosie’s Scientific Advisory Board, “As children’s bones and tissues are still growing, current treatments for facial cancers in children can lead to […]

In loving memory of Dorothy Cameron

in loving memory

Our heartfelt thanks go to the family of Dorothy Cameron. Dorothy passed away on 12th January and her daughters, Diane, Sandra and Sue, chose to support Friends of Rosie at their mother’s funeral service. Diane, Sandra and Sue lost their older sister, Janet, when she was just 10 years old back in 1974. Janet had […]

Charity Easter egg raffles

Charity Easter egg

Join the Friends of Rosie charity Easter egg raffle and raffle off a luxury, hand-crafted Easter egg at your workplace, school, nursery or community centre. All in support of local childhood cancer research. The eggs, created by world renowned Manchester chocolatier, Slattery, measure in at around half a metre high of mouthwatering milk chocolate. They […]

Get your Christmas message poster now

Christmas message poster

Instead of sending Christmas cards at work, college or school this year, display one of our FREE Christmas message posters. Pick a bauble on the poster, write your messages to each other and donate. Each printed Christmas message poster comes with a cardboard collection box, so you can make a donation for every Christmas message […]

Feel good festive fundraising

festive fundraising

There are lots of ways you can support Friends of Rosie with festive fundraising this season. And, as a volunteer-led charity, you can be sure that a donation to Friends of Rosie will go where it’s needed, funding vital childhood cancer research. Just contact us at info@childrenscancerresearchfund.co.uk to let us know about your festive fundraising […]

New research grant call now open

research grant call

Thanks to our lovely supporters, we now have enough funds available to support a new research grant. We are inviting applications for pump-priming research grants focused on childhood cancer. Pump-priming is the process of helping a new project or idea get off the ground by providing initial funding. We are unique in our role of […]

P J Livesey go gold for childhood cancer

go gold

Throughout September, Trafford-based property developers, P J Livesey, turned gold in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Their fundraising efforts raised a whopping £2,180.50 in aid of Friends of Rosie. September is internationally recognised as the awareness month for childhood cancer in association with the colour gold. From a gold-themed cake contest and raffle, to […]

One month, run everyday = five marathons!

Run everyday challenge

Our very own communications manager, Helen Griffin, set herself a very stretching target in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. To run everyday during September totalling 211km – the equivalent of five marathons! As if that wasn’t enough, she also did a Sober September, to further help raise awareness and funds for children’s cancer research. […]

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Helen Griffin
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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.