Progress Magazine | Autumn/Winter 23

Pr gress

All about

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity

Future leaders

We’re supporting the next generation of cancer researchers – thanks to you

Grand opening

A royal visit to the Oak Cancer Centre Why Celebrate a Life is so special

Two decades of remembrance

You make a real difference

Welcome to the latest issue of Progress, in which we feature the new Oak Cancer Centre, which was made possible by your generous support. The facility was officially opened by His Royal Highness Prince William, Prince of Wales, and will make a lasting difference to patients for years to come.

We also feature the PreDoctoral Research Fellowship programme at The Royal Marsden. Funded by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, it supports the next generation of cancer specialists to improve patient treatment and care.

You can also read about Celebrate a Life, which marks its 20th anniversary this year. We hear from those who have taken part about what this special event means to them.

Walking on sunshine

The sun was shining for The Banham Marsden March and The Banham Marsden March at Home on 14 May, which raised more than £1.5 million for the Charity.

More than 4,400 walkers of all ages were out in force, walking five or 15 miles between The Royal Marsden’s Chelsea and Sutton sites, or walking their own distance closer to home.

We are hugely grateful to Banham, who first sponsored the walk in 2015 and walk with us each year. Team Banham has raised more than £170,000 to date, including generous matched funding from the Banham Foundation.

Thank you to all the incredible walkers, their generous sponsors and our dedicated team of volunteers who helped make the 2023 event such a success.

Interested in next year’s event? Sign up to our early bird alert at royalmarsden.org/march

Antonia Dalmahoy Managing Director, The

CS VENKATAKRISHNAN (known as Venkat), Barclays’ Group Chief Executive, and Sasha Wiggins, Barclays’ Group Head of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility, have been appointed as Chair and Vice Chair of the Charity’s Corporate Partnerships Board. Antonia Dalmahoy, the Charity’s Managing Director, said: “Venkat and Sasha bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise, which will be immensely valuable in helping the Charity grow its support from the corporate sector. I look forward to working alongside them to help The Royal Marsden continue to save and improve the lives of people affected by cancer.”

cover:

Royal Marsden Cancer Charity

Supporters were all smiles on The Banham Marsden March this year

On the

Jurga McLean, Clinical Pharmacist. All photographs taken at The Royal Marsden were shot in accordance with infection control guidelines

Innovative app aids young patients

The Royal Marsden is the first hospital to offer health and wellbeing support for teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer patients via an app from digital cancer care company Careology.

Funded by the Charity, the app provides information on topics including managing symptoms, body image, nutrition and mental health. Patients and clinicians collaborated with Careology on the app’s content.

Emma Thistlethwayte, TYA Lead Nurse, said: “Being diagnosed with cancer at a young age is

Also in this issue

Out of the fog

Thanks to your support, Royal Marsden staff have developed ways to better help patients experiencing cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI).

Often called ‘chemo brain’, CRCI can be caused by the cancer itself or by side effects of chemotherapy or other treatment. Patients may struggle to remember things, concentrate or find the right words.

Occupational Therapist

Tamsin Longley developed the online Emerging from the Haze programme to provide tools and strategies that help patients improve their cognition.

life-changing, and it affects people emotionally as well as physically.

“Although a number of our young patients are referred to our psychological support service, which is funded by the Charity, we wanted to provide further mental health support to them through every stage of their diagnosis and treatment, and beyond.

“Incorporating the patient voice was very important to us, and the tools and resources in the app will support and empower patients to contribute to their own emotional wellbeing and overall health.”

Myeloma patient Peter Burton (below) has benefited from the project, which has helped him manage symptoms of brain fog and lack of focus. He said: “I will continue to use the strategies from this programme as they are so helpful in improving the quality of my life.”

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“The fellowship allowed me to immerse myself in my passions”

TYA Lead Nurse Emma

Thistlethwayte

“I feel privileged to be treated in the Oak Cancer Centre”

“Celebrate a Life is a time to come together”

On a learning curve

Your support provides funding for Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowships, helping health professionals carry out research to improve patient treatment and care

Funded by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowships are a vital first step for health professionals embarking on a research career.

Offering nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists at The Royal Marsden the opportunity to carry out their own research is an important way to deliver improvements for cancer patients.

Your generous support funds the Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowship programme at The Royal Marsden, where staff complete a one- or twoyear project that aims to enhance and refine patient treatment and care.

Chemo communication

Clinical Pharmacist Jurga McLean is undertaking a two-year fellowship on incorporating patient needs into pharmacist education.

Working in the Diane McCarthy Medical Day Unit in Chelsea and the Olayan Day Care Unit in Sutton, where many patients receive oral systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) such as chemotherapy, Jurga noted that some patients can struggle with taking their oral SACT correctly.

“Oral chemotherapy is often given in complex regimens, so good communication from healthcare teams is essential to ensure patients receive the best possible results from their treatments,” says Jurga.

“We may see patients for whom English isn’t their first language, or other patients who don’t have the confidence to ask questions if they are unsure about their

in a way that they understand”

chemotherapy regimen. We have a diverse population of patients and we want to ensure that information about cancer treatments is relayed to all in a way that they understand.

“Some patient groups – such as those who are fasting for religious reasons – may also need a specific kind of support from pharmacy teams, so tailoring the chemotherapy information to their needs is important.”

Changing practice

Jurga’s research will focus on evaluating how information about chemotherapy is

“We want to ensure that information about cancer treatments is relayed to patients

communicated to patients and where improvements can be made.

Engaging with patients, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, she hopes her findings can be incorporated into pharmacist education and help to benefit cancer patients in the UK and beyond.

“I really want to involve patient representatives within my project,” says Jurga, “so we can address their needs, identify any barriers they face and change practice.”

Pain relief

Your generosity has funded other Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowships at The Royal Marsden, helping to train the next generation of cancer specialists.

Martin Galligan completed his Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowship

Machine power: the Robotic Surgery Fellowship

The Royal Marsden launched the Robotic Surgery Fellowship in 2017, thanks to funding from the Charity.

Surgeons are trained to operate on patients using the Charity-funded da Vinci surgical robots, which have simulated training consoles.

Ailín Rogers completed her Robotic Surgery Fellowship at The Royal Marsden and is now a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

She says: “The Royal Marsden’s robotic programme has made an incredible difference to me. I use the skills I gained to improve the lives of cancer patients across Ireland.

“The programme was really beneficial in teaching me to operate across multiple tumour types.”

Right: former Robotic Fellow Ailín Rogers

Above: Clinical Pharmacist Jurga McLean. Right: Martin Galligan completed his fellowship last year

at The Royal Marsden in 2022 on healthcare professionals’ understanding and approach to cancer-related pain, which enabled him to embark on a PhD at King’s College London.

He is also a Lecturer Practitioner at The Royal Marsden School, teaching health professionals from The Royal Marsden, other NHS trusts, private hospitals and primary care settings to become advanced clinical practitioners.

He says: “The fellowship allowed me to immerse myself in my passions, with the aim of improving patient care surrounding cancer-related pain. I would encourage everyone to think about applying for a fellowship so they can be the change they want to see.”

After-care aid

Andreia Fernandes, who has been the Lead Nurse for Gynaeoncology at The Royal Marsden since 2019, will be applying for a PhD after finishing her Pre-

Doctoral Research Fellowship this year, which was generously funded by Lady Garden Foundation.

Andreia’s research investigated the way patients are monitored following treatment for gynaecological cancer, capturing patients’ lived experiences and reviewing international guidelines for follow-up treatment.

She says: “What I like most about research is how it demands collaborative work by a myriad of experts, including patients, to ensure the success and true impact of a project.”

Help us train tomorrow’s leaders

We need the best clinicians and scientists to help improve the lives of people with cancer.

The Royal Marsden’s PreDoctoral Research Fellowships are funded by the Charity and help to train tomorrow’s research leaders, who can further our understanding of cancer and drive advances that will benefit patients.

Your gift will fund Jurga’s research, helping to improve the way we talk to patients about chemotherapy and incorporating their needs at the heart of pharmacist education.

Jurga McLean chats to a patient and Matron Angela Little in the West Wing Clinical Research Centre

Andreia Fernandes

Q&A Dr Irene Chong

We speak to the Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Clinical Scientist – whose role is part-funded by the Charity – about her work and using genomic testing to help tailor treatment for patients

that stools are collected in a disposable bag worn over the stoma.

As a result of the study, the approach of closely monitoring some rectal cancer patients rather than them undergoing surgery is being followed in cancer centres across the UK. I’m building on this work by exploring how to genetically identify rectal cancer patients who are likely to benefit from non-invasive treatment rather than surgery.

What do you do in your role?

Alongside treating patients in the clinic, I carry out research that aims to identify new ways of treating gastrointestinal cancers. The team and I are using genetic sequencing and gene-editing techniques to help achieve this.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I feel happiest when I am pushing to make a difference for my patients. It’s a privilege to be able to investigate why the cancers we treat respond differently to the same treatment, using the latest

technologies. I love working as a part of a big team, with each member having different skills, to answer important questions. I’m incredibly grateful to the supporters of the Charity who enable our research.

Could you tell us about your latest study?

Dr Diana Tait, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden, pioneered the groundbreaking Deferral of Surgery study, which offered some rectal cancer patients who completely respond to chemotherapy and radiotherapy a chance to avoid surgery, which would leave them with a permanent stoma. A stoma is an opening in the stomach where part of the bowel has been diverted, so

This research could also identify those who are unlikely to respond to radiotherapy, meaning they could be spared unnecessary side effects. It could also help clinicians identify drugs that can be used in combination with radiotherapy to enhance a patient’s response to treatment.

Why is this research important for patients?

Having a stoma bag can significantly affect a patient’s quality of life, so having a system of close monitoring for some patients can allow them to live without a stoma for longer. Also, by finding out why some patients respond well to non-invasive treatment and others do not, we can personalise the way in which we approach their treatment.

Dr Chong’s research is funded by The Syncona Foundation and Red Trouser Day through The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity

“I feel happiest when I am pushing to make a difference for my patients”

Centre of excellence

Funded by your amazing support, the recently opened Oak Cancer Centre offers state-of-the-art treatment in peaceful surroundings

In June, His Royal Highness Prince William, Prince of Wales, formally opened the Oak Cancer Centre at The Royal Marsden in Sutton.

Funded by generous supporters of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s £70-million Oak Cancer Centre appeal, the state-of-the-art research and treatment facility will help accelerate the development of new treatments, offering hope for cancer patients worldwide. It will

enable clinicians to diagnose more cancers earlier and has been designed to enhance patients’ experience as they have treatment in a bright, peaceful environment.

During his visit, HRH The Prince of Wales met some of the first patients to be treated in the Oak Cancer Centre’s Olayan Day Care Unit and heard about the difference the building will make to them.

He also met some of the worldleading researchers who will carry out their innovative work in the Kuok Research Centre. Having our researchers and patients together under one roof will support the hospital’s ‘bench to bedside’ approach in

developing new treatments for patients at The Royal Marsden and around the world.

It will also mean experts who specialise in different tumour groups will be able to work together more closely, which will encourage breakthroughs that target molecular and genetic abnormalities – wherever the tumour may be in the body.

Samantha Walker, Junior Sister in the Olayan Day Care Unit,

“It was an honour to show HRH The Prince of Wales around the unit”

Oak Cancer Centre patients meet HRH The Prince of Wales

Nilly, 53, breast and lung cancer patient

“I’m having chemotherapy in the Olayan Day Care Unit. It’s an amazing unit – it feels so spacious and very comfortable. I think it’s very important to have a nice environment when you are having treatment. It makes a big difference to your mood.

“HRH The Prince of Wales was wonderful. I felt very happy to meet him.”

Pauline, 68, ovarian cancer patient

“This is my fifth year of treatment and I've been watching the new building emerge over the years. My daughter donates to the Charity every month and it makes you realise that every penny really does count.

says: “It was an absolute honour to meet HRH The Prince of Wales and show him around our new unit. He was very interested in our patients, who he had a lovely rapport with, and the work we do here at The Royal Marsden.

“It’s fantastic to now be working in the Olayan Day Care Unit, which is so bright, light and spacious, and it was lovely seeing patients react to the new building, too.”

“To be here on the first day with Prince William to open it was very special and emotional. It was lovely to meet him – he was so easy to chat to.”

Find out more about the Oak Cancer Centre and how your incredible support has helped make it a reality at royalmarsden.org/oak

Richard, 58, myeloma patient

“I was one of the first patients to be treated in the new Olayan Day Care Unit. I was very impressed – the design is clean and sharp. There’s a lovely combination of a feeling of privacy in the individual booths while still being part of the whole unit. I feel very privileged to be treated here.

“Meeting Prince William was great. He’s actually a much quieter speaker than I was expecting and a very good listener.”

Shining stars

A chance to recognise the special people in our lives, Celebrate a Life returns for its 20th year in December

This year marks the 20th anniversary of our Celebrate a Life event, which takes place every December. It is a special occasion for patients, their loved ones, supporters and staff, giving them time to reflect and create new memories with their family and friends. Supporters are invited to donate to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity in celebration of someone dear to them. The name of that special person is handwritten on a star, which is then hung on one of the Christmas trees outside the hospitals in Chelsea and Sutton during the festive period.

There are many different reasons why people choose to dedicate a star, whether in memory of a loved one, to say thank you to a member of staff, or to celebrate someone special in their lives.

We also hold two carol services in December, when supporters can come to the hospitals and sing carols alongside a choir, watch the Christmas tree lights be switched on and see the stars on display.

We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has named a star and attended our services over the years. By naming a star, you are making a vital difference to the lives of cancer patients everywhere.

The Celebrate a Life carol service at The Royal Marsden in Chelsea

Sara’s story

Sara dedicates a star to her late husband Tony, who was treated at The Royal Marsden for a brain stem glioma. Thanks to The Royal Marsden, Sara and her children, Millie and Ben (pictured), were able to have 19 more months with him.

Tony used to look out of his ward window at the hospital in Chelsea to see the Christmas tree, and now Sara and her children look up at the same window every year to see other patients watching the service.

“I have spoken to others at Celebrate a Life who have lost loved ones and this is a support in itself,” she says. “It’s such a lovely, magical event – the twinkly lights and the children singing carols.

“It’s a time to come together, surrounded by people who understand our grief. It’s a time we allow ourselves to talk about it and to celebrate all the wonderful things that Tony did for us and the wonderful person he was.”

Debbie’s story

Debbie is being treated at The Royal Marsden for ovarian cancer. She took part in Celebrate a Life last year, naming two stars for the Christmas tree.

“One of my stars was for staff nurse Emily Monk, who works in the Diane McCarthy Medical Day Unit and was incredible throughout my chemotherapy sessions – she is an angel,” she says.

“My second star was for my partner Dan [pictured, with Debbie], who was my absolute rock and hero. Going through my treatment and surgeries, I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Dizzy’s story

Dizzy and her family take part in Celebrate a Life to say thank you to The Royal Marsden after her treatment for stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma. She dedicates a star to her “miracle baby” Thea (pictured, with Dizzy), who will be turning two this year.

“The Royal Marsden saved my life – it does such phenomenal work,” she says. “It is the reason we were able to bring Thea into this world and have her in our lives, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

“I thought it would be impossible for me to ever get pregnant after my cancer diagnosis and treatment. Taking part in Celebrate a Life gives us an opportunity to celebrate us having Thea and to thank the hospital for all that they’ve done for us as a family.”

Golden

Find out more about Celebrate a Life and name a star at royalmarsden.org/star

stars hung on our Christmas tree

“Celebrate a Life is a magical event – the twinkly lights and chidren singing carols”

A marathon effort

Congratulations to the 98 runners who completed the TCS London Marathon in April on behalf of the Charity, together raising more than £500,000.

Among them was Emma Bishop, 39, who raised an incredible £115,000 following her diagnosis of stage 4, incurable mutant nonsmall-cell lung cancer.

She said: “Last year, I thought that my goals, dreams and purpose had been taken from me. Instead, this year, because of the targeted nature of my treatment, I was able to find a new goal and managed to run the London Marathon. I have had the best experience of my life and it will be one of my greatest achievements.”

Meanwhile, George Robbins raised £6,000 for the Charity after

Riding high

Employees from property firm Related Argent have raised more than £415,000 for the Charity with a series of challenges – and have surpassed their original target of £250,000.

A team of 50 cyclists took on a 407km ride from London to Paris. Over three days, they travelled from the Related Argent offices in London, through the Surrey Hills and across northern France before arriving near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. A second group of fundraisers then went on to complete a 21-mile hike from Lewes to Eastbourne.

The team’s fundraising will go towards state-of-the-art equipment in the Charles Wolfson Rapid Diagnostic Centre in the newly opened Oak Cancer Centre.

his parents, Richard and Julie, were both treated at The Royal Marsden. Richard was treated for oesophageal cancer while Julie was treated for a neuroendocrine tumour in her pancreas.

George said: “Visiting the hospital and seeing the care and dedication of everyone, it’s difficult to put my thanks into words. Taking part in the marathon is my way of pouring out my emotion into 26.2 miles!”

Emma Bishop was among 98 Charity supporters who who ran the TCS London Marathon

Walk this way

Jon Badger raised more than £5,300 by walking 150 miles over six days from his home in Bristol to The Royal Marsden in Sutton.

Jon was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 37 in 2017 and was referred to The Royal Marsden. After he took part in two clinical trials, his latest scans show his tumour is inactive.

Jon said: “The only reason I’m here over five years post-diagnosis

Over to you...

What you’ve been saying on social media

Lucy’s Hair Boutique (@lucyshairboutiquelhb) @carolinejburns has shaved her head for her darling mums 25th anniversary for the @royalmarsden cancer charity... Massive well done to Caroline’s daughter Millie who helped her mum cut her hair off.

Parkeray (@Parkeray)

Special thanks to all the teams involved in our 5-A-Side Tournament who helped us raise over £4K for this fantastic charity.

is because of the clinical trials at The Royal Marsden. I am so grateful for the time and resource that’s gone into my care.

“The walk was such a rewarding thing to do. The reception that I got from the Oak Foundation Drug Development Unit team when I arrived was incredible – the whole gang came out to wave flags and cheer me across the line.”

Join the conversation on X (Twitter), Instagram and Facebook @royalmarsden

MANDY HODGES HOSTED her own Marsden Morning event this summer, organising a get-together for 20 friends and relatives at her house to raise funds for the Charity. “Everyone enjoys a cup of coffee or tea and a slice of cake, so it was a fun afternoon,” said Mandy (pictured), who is being treated at The Royal Marsden for myeloma. “I wanted to do a different type of event and include my local friends and neighbours. The people that live around me are all different ages, so it was a lovely community feel. Hosting a Marsden Morning is a way to say thank you for all the care I’ve had so far and will be having in the future.”

Jon Badger walked crosscountry and raised more than £5,300

Roses of remembrance

Thousands of white roses make a stunning display at the Ever After Garden, which will be back to brighten up the winter

The Ever After Garden will return this winter, providing a reflective, tranquil haven for visitors to remember their lost loved ones.

Each year, the garden lights up Grosvenor Square in central London with 20,000 illuminated white roses. Supporters are invited to dedicate a rose in memory of a loved one and to make a donation to the Charity.

The Ever After Garden was inspired by the late production

designer and art director Michael Howells, whose work includes the film Ever After: A Cinderella Story and ITV’s Victoria.

His friends, fashion designer and Charity Trustee Anya Hindmarch CBE and fashion writer Camilla Morton, established the garden to remember those we’ve lost.

Last year was the Ever After Garden’s most successful year to date, raising more than £200,000 to help improve the lives of cancer patients everywhere.

This year, you can dedicate your rose ahead of the garden’s opening or do so when you visit the garden later in the year.

Fran’s story

Fran Whitfield, who has been treated at The Royal Marsden since 2020 after being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, visited the Ever After Garden last year.

She said: “It really is a breathtaking sight when you look out over 20,000 white roses that light up in the square.

“I dedicated roses to Hatti and Rob, two people who were beacons of light in my and many others’ lives, and who are greatly missed every day.”

Dedicate a rose in this year’s Ever After Garden at royalmarsden.org/ garden

Fran Whitfield dedicated two roses in the Ever After Garden last year

“It really is breathtaking to see 20,000 white roses light up the square”

Why I left a gift in my Will

Sue Bellamy was treated for breast cancer at The Royal Marsden following her diagnosis in 2018.

After having surgery and radiotherapy, Sue was able to take part in RideLondon eight months later, raising more than £1,000 for the Charity. She later decided to leave a gift in her Will.

Sue said: “I left a gift in my Will as The Royal Marsden has taken such good care of me since I was diagnosed.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, but everybody at The Royal Marsden has been so lovely. I feel very lucky that I’ve been well ever since my treatment.”

Find out how you can leave a gift in your Will at royalmarsden.org/legacy

See London as you run

Taking on next year’s London Landmarks Half Marathon is a great way to support our work while enjoying spectacular views of the capital.

The event on 7 April 2024 will see thousands of runners make their way past landmarks such as Big Ben, The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Hollie Hellens completed the London Landmarks Half Marathon this year to support the Charity. Her two-year-old daughter Lola

is being treated at The Royal Marsden for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and Hollie herself was also treated at the hospital for ovarian cancer when she was 13.

“We will always fundraise to support the Charity, to say thank you for everything they’ve done for our little one,” said Hollie. “I think all the staff at The Royal Marsden are brilliant.”

Visit royalmarsden.org/londonlandmarks-half-marathon

Hollie Hellens and her daughter Lola

As well as taking on cycling challenges, Sue Bellamy has left a gift in her Will