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Friends of

Category: Fundraising

30th Birthday virtual event – Watch now!

30th birthday event

To celebrate our 30th birthday and to thank all of our wonderful supporters, we held a virtual event, on Tuesday 14th September, during childhood cancer awareness month. If you were unable to attend, you can watch the recording below. You’ll see videos from our fantastic Young Ambassadors, Ruth Grace and Daniel, sharing their experiences of […]

Brownie superheroes raise £250!

Brownie superheroes

Eight year old Evie’s superhero art fundraiser has raised a fantastic £250 for children’s cancer research thanks to her group of Brownie superheroes. There was a total of 18 entries from Evie’s Brownie group, the 5th Debdale (St George’s) Brownies, with each design depicting a superhero. Evie drew the competition and announced the winners last […]

Get muddy for childhood cancer!

With many of us planning a staycation this summer, why not have fun and get muddy with the kids? Plus you can fundraise at the same time at a Lidl Mudder event. Lidl Mudder is a 1-mile course packed full of obstacles. It’s designed to give kids aged 5-12 the chance to work as a […]

Brownie superhero fundraiser

Brownie superhero fundraiser

We’re sending a huge thank you to eight year old Evie and her Brownie group for supporting Friends of Rosie with their Brownie superhero fundraiser. Evie has set up an art fundraiser asking the other Brownies to design their own child superhero. She is supporting Friends of Rosie is recognition of our Young Ambassador, Ruth […]

Easter eggstravaganza at Hale Prep

Hale Prep Easter

Hale Prep school proved themselves to be true chocoholics (and eggcellent fundraisers!) this Easter. They raised a cracking £1,000 for Friends of Rosie in their Easter egg raffle. Our huge thanks go to all the children, families and staff at Hale Prep school for their continued support of Friends of Rosie. Thanks to you we […]

Thank you, Sir Alex Ferguson

Our huge thanks go to Sir Alex Ferguson, our long-serving Patron, for his recent donation to children’s cancer research. Friends of Rosie received the generous donation from Sir Alex through The Elizabeth Hardie Ferguson Charitable Trust Fund. He set up the Trust in memory of his mother. Sir Alex’s donation will go towards our three […]

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 […]

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 […]

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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.