News releases
MP AND HIS WIFE PLEDGE THEIR SUPPORT TO NORTH WEST CANCER RESEARCH FUND
02 December 2005
Tim Farron lost his mother, Dr Sue Farron, to ovarian cancer, aged 54, in July 2004. Unfortunately, less than twelve months later in June 2004, Liz Cantley, Rosie�s mother, aged 63, was diagnosed with ampullary cancer, a strain of pancreatic cancer resulting in her death the following June.�
Dr Sue Farron, from Lostock Hall in Preston, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after she went into hospital for gall bladder surgery and a tumour was found. It was most likely this chance finding which prolonged her life. Sue underwent three courses of chemotherapy but found the final procedure too much and discontinued the treatment.
Liz Cantley, from Brookhouse, near Lancaster, was referred to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital where she was treated by Professor Robert Sutton and Professor John Neoptolemos, whose research has been funded by North West Cancer Research Fund. Unfortunately the tumour had become perineural and ductal, both dangerous factors.
Both Liz and Sue fought their cancers till the very end, putting on a brave face and protecting their families from the pain they were going through. Tim and Rosie said, �It is seeing how hard a person can fight when all is against them that awakens something in us to fight on, and to do something positive in their memory. We can only hope research can help people in the future who are touched by cancer.�
Tim and Rosie decided to align themselves with North West Cancer Research Fund as a way of turning their loss into something positive. They have been married for five years.
North West Cancer Research Fund has a number of voluntary committees in Lancashire and Cumbria. It has been funding cancer research at Lancaster University for over 10 years. It is an independent regional cancer research charity.
Rosie, who works at Lancaster University, came to know about the charity because of her connections at the University: Professor Trevor McMillan and Dr Sarah Allinson both of whom are funded by North West Cancer Research Fund.
Rosie said, �Tim and I are extremely impressed with the way in which the charity is run; such a high proportion of the money raised is spent directly on research, and has been for 57 years. We want to do all we can to raise awareness of the charity in order to see more core research developed. It is the research that saves lives.�
North West Cancer Research Fund spends approximately 90p in every � raised directly on research. All the research takes place in the North West. The research is pioneering. Were it not for the regional cancer research charities like this, new work, potentially the platform on which major breakthroughs will be made, would never be started.
The lifeblood of the charity is its volunteers who run the 42 committees. Without the efforts of these selfless people, the charity would not exist and no research would take place.
Olivia Ley, Chairman of Lunesdale branch, was happy to hear of the support given by Rosie and Tim.� She said, �People who have lost someone to cancer often want to turn their loss into something positive. It�s so kind of Rosie and Tim to want to make a difference and get involved with the charity.�
If you have lost someone to cancer and would like to become involved in any of the charity�s initiatives or simply attend one of their fundraising functions please call 0151-709-2919.
For further information about the charity please see our website www.cancerresearchnorthwest.co.uk
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For more information contact Becky Pierce, publicity officer: 0151-236-6605
Picture attached, Tim Farron, Rosie Cantley, and their two youngest children Gracie, held by her father, and Jude.
If you have helped to collect money for The North West Cancer Research Fund, don't forget to tell us all about how you raised the money so we can publicise your efforts.