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Author: Helen Griffin

A challenging but positive CCAM

childhood cancer awareness month

2022 was a challenging but positive Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM). The sad death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II meant that many charities, like us, felt the need to pause some of our campaigning as a mark of respect during a period of national mourning. The news has also been dominated by the energy […]

Proton Beam Therapy research

Friends of Rosie is funding a £70,000 project investigating the biology of protons used in Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) to treat sarcomas in children. We recently met with lead researcher, Dr Amy Chadwick, and Research Associate, Dr Emma Biglin, to find out more about this pioneering research. Sarcomas are cancers that develop in bone and […]

Changes to our Board of Trustees

Lisa Larkin

We’ve recently had some changes to our Board of Trustees – some goodbyes and some hellos. Firstly, we bid a fond farewell to Jennie Atherton and Joe Swift. Jennie has been with Friends of Rosie since almost the beginning of the charity. She gave her time, energy, skills, and passion for childhood cancer research for […]

Sarcoma awareness month

Sarcoma Awareness Month

July is #SarcomaAwarenessMonth. Sarcomas are uncommon cancers that can affect any part of your body. A key symptom of sarcoma is a lump that gets bigger quickly.   This #CharityTuesday, as we near the end of the month, we wanted to share what we’ve been doing to help children with sarcomas. Over the past three […]

Annual newsletter out now!

Newsletter out now

Every year we issue a printed annual newsletter to help keep all our supporters updated on charity activities. It’s really important to us that you know where your donations go and how we spend every penny. This annual newsletter gives you a summary round-up in one place. Click here to read the electronic version of […]

New charity partner of Exchange Chambers

childhood cancer awareness month

Friends of Rosie has been selected as the charity partner for Exchange Chambers for the next two years. Exchange Chambers is an award-winning set of Barristers’ Chambers with 200 members and offices in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. The CEO at Exchange Chambers, Jonathan l’Anson, said, “Planning is already underway for several fundraising events, including a […]

Outcomes of our international childhood cancer workshop

international childhood cancer workshop

Friends of Rosie brought together 40 of the world’s top researchers and clinicians from across the UK, Europe and North America. Together they discussed how better to target treatments for children with cancer. The international childhood cancer workshop was held in Manchester on the 8th and 9th of June 2022. It came less than two […]

Friends of Rosie to host international childhood cancer workshop

childhood cancer workshop

We are proud to tell you about our upcoming international childhood cancer research workshop. This important workshop will bring together 40 of the world’s top researchers and clinicians to discuss how better to target treatments for children with cancer. Childhood cancer is the biggest killer of children under 14 in the western world, yet it […]

Easter egg fundraising 2022

Easter egg winners

Wow, what an Easter of fundraising! Our huge thanks to everyone who hosted a Friends of Rosie Easter egg raffle this year for our Easter fundraising. Together you raised an eggcellent £3,500! This is an amazing effort, especially given that many people are currently also fundraising to support the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis. Thank you also […]

Reducing the risk of facial asymmetry after radiotherapy

facial asymmetry

In 2020, we kickstarted new research looking into ways to decrease the risk of facial asymmetry in children with cancers in the head and neck. Your donations make this research happen. So, to keep you updated on how your donations are being used, we recently caught up with the project team at The University of Manchester […]

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Helen Griffin
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07887 932293

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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.