Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group raises over £20,000 for mesothelioma research

The support group hosted a presentation at the town hall in Manchester on 26 June 2007 to present over £20,000 they had raised on Action Mesothelioma Day 2007 in Manchester. The money was presented to the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund and the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund. 

The event was attended by more than 50 people, some of whom had mesothelioma, some of whom were families and spouses of those who had died from mesothelioma, and others worked with mesothelioma sufferers. The message that came through the meeting was that is so important for people to talk to other people in the same situation as them.  

Dr Paul Taylor, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Wythenshawe Hospital spoke of the need for more funding of research into mesothelioma and of the battle that mesothelioma patients were facing over withdrawal of funding by the NHS of the chemotherapy drug Alimta. 

Kimberley Stubbs, who lost her mother June Hancock to mesothelioma ten years ago this year, was there to receive a cheque for over £10,000 to the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund.  She highlighted the fact that mesothelioma is a rare disease and consequently is less often researched compared to more common cancers.  

On behalf of the Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group Tony Whitston and Hazel Bowden thanked all those who had raised money to donate to Mesothelioma research, to work towards finding a cure for the disease.

Dr Paul Taylor (Wythenshawe hospital), Tony Whitston (GMAVSG), Kimberley Stubbs, (JHMRF), Hazel Bowden (GMAVSG)

Kimberley Stubbs, Dr Paul Taylor, Hazel Bowden

Kimberley Stubb's speech of thanks on Action Mesothelioma Day

The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund has for many years been one of a handful of charities whose sole aim is to raise money for research into the deadliest of asbestos related diseases – mesothelioma.

The Fund was set up in 1997 in the memory and honour of June Hancock, who died from mesothelioma as a result of being exposed to asbestos as a child whilst growing up in Armley, Leeds . Her mother Maie Gelder also died from mesothelioma 15 years earlier. June Hancock embarked upon a real life ‘David & Goliath' legal battle against T&N – the Company responsible for spewing out the asbestos dust from its factory. Against all the odds June won a landmark victory despite being very ill, and the way was paved for others to seek justice.

Yet, everyone here knows that – tragically - the injustice continues in many ways. The lack of government funding for mesothelioma research belies belief, and so the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund is committed to funding high quality independently reviewed research projects and treatment trials. This is alongside raising awareness of the disease amongst healthcare professionals, providing easy to access & up to date information for patients and their carers, and supporting delivery of the Mesothelioma Charter.

Working alongside wonderfully dedicated people like we have at the GMAVSG, our only aim is to ease the suffering for mesothelioma sufferers today and sadly tomorrow.

In February this year the Fund was extremely proud to announce our first major scientific award of £139,000 to Dr Zsuzsanna Tabi of Cardiff University . This is a 3 year research project, and will study a novel approach to cancer therapy - that is to investigate whether a patients own immune system can be stimulated to attack tumour cells. If successful this would offer an alternative treatment without the very unpleasant side effects of chemo and radio therapies. This approach has been taken worldwide for a wide range of cancers, but the outcome of this research will allow mesothelioma to be added to the list of cancers that can be considered for immune therapy.

The reality is that it is this unstinting support of the Fund's supporters that have enabled this important work to be sponsored. Mesothelioma is a rare disease and consequently is less often researched compared to more common cancers. It is therefore vital that funds like the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund and the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund continue to provide funding that may improve treatments for victims of this heartbreaking disease.

There is no cure. It is crucial to find new treatments that will improve both life expectancy and quality of life. Without quality research this will never happen, but alongside people like you, the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund and other charities will make a change. But for change to happen we have to raise money, and that is why the donation by the GMAVSG of over £10,000 means so much, and the Fund is so proud to receive it – thank you to everyone who contributed – you are already making a difference.

June 2007

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