Charity Christmas campaign shines light on Wakefield's cancer stars
Yorkshire Cancer Research will ‘Help Yorkshire Shine’ this Christmas with a campaign that invites people to dedicate a star to a loved one affected by cancer or to someone who has supported them throughout their cancer experience.
Research from Yorkshire Cancer Research shows that someone in Wakefield is told they have cancer every four hours.
That’s six people each day, or 44 every single week.
The new ‘Help Yorkshire Shine’ campaign aims to shine a light on the ground-breaking cancer research that is helping to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire, giving people in the region more Christmases to enjoy with their family and friends.
From November 19, people can dedicate a star with a personal message and see their Yorkshire Star shine brightly on the charity’s online gallery, or have their star added to the Christmas display at the Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre in Harrogate.
Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “Yorkshire Cancer Research is committed to preventing cancer and reducing years lost to cancer. Thanks to research and services funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, people will gain 14,700 more years of life.
"That's many more people spending Christmas with their family and loved ones.”
Supporting the campaign is 59-year-old David Gold, who benefitted from a pioneering clinical trial, FOxTROT 3, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and led by researchers at the University of Leeds and the University of Birmingham.
David was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in August 2023 after experiencing breathlessness and pain in his right arm. The diagnosis came as a shock to David and his family, who had no prior experience of a loved one being affected by cancer.
Following his diagnosis, Mr Richard Baker, Consultant General Surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, recommended FOxTROT 3, a clinical trial which explores whether giving specific groups of patients a course of chemotherapy before surgery can help improve cancer outcomes.
As part of the trial, David underwent two rounds of chemotherapy prior to the planned surgery to remove his tumour. The treatment was a success, and the tumour shrank by one third, making surgery more straightforward and less invasive.
David said: “After spending last Christmas in hospital, recovering from my cancer surgery, I’m so happy to be planning to spend the festive period at home with my family this year.
“I’m dedicating two stars to people who have been a lifeline to me during my cancer journey. My wife Anne, who is my rock, and my surgeon, Mr Richard Baker, who also recommended me for the clinical trial that I participated in.”
Dr Kathryn Scott continued: “People who participate in clinical trials, like David has, are the real stars in cancer research, enabling researchers to find new and better treatments, so more lives can be saved. I am so pleased that David and his family will be back enjoying their favourite Christmas traditions together.”
To learn more about Help Yorkshire Shine and to dedicate a star to someone special, visit: Yorkshire Stars