Category Archives: Cancer

Cancer, Charity Events, Charity News, Events, FInance

Maggie’s and Swansea Building Society Host 5th Anniversary Celebration for Cancer Support in Cardiff

Maggie’s Cancer Charity and Swansea Building Society are collaborating to host a memorable event commemorating the 5th anniversary of the Maggie’s Centre opening in Cardiff. The exciting 5th Birthday Ball will be held on May 17th at Dyffryn Springs near Wenvoe, bringing together supporters and beneficiaries for an evening of reflection and hope.

Swansea Building Society has pledged its support as the event sponsor, continuing its steadfast commitment to Maggie’s as its official charity for the third consecutive year.

Since its inception, Maggie’s Cardiff has provided invaluable support to over a thousand visitors each month, offering practical, emotional, and social assistance to individuals and families navigating the challenges of cancer.

The centre, situated in Velindre Road, Whitchurch, works in harmony with conventional cancer therapies, offering a nurturing environment where visitors can access support, information, and practical advice. From financial and benefits guidance to complementary therapies and nutrition workshops, Maggie’s Cardiff plays a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life for those affected by cancer.

Supporting the charity over recent years, Swansea Building Society has organised a diverse range of successful fundraising activities, including dress-down days, raffles, and sponsored events like dog walks and open water swimming. These initiatives have resulted in an impressive cumulative fundraising total exceeding £60,000, providing vital resources to empower Maggie’s in delivering its essential services.

Richard Miles, Area Manager / Head of Savings & Marketing, Swansea Building Society, said:

“As proud sponsors of Maggie’s for the third consecutive year, Swansea Building Society is honoured to support such a vital cause. Our ongoing commitment to Maggie’s reflects our dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. We are delighted to be part of the 5th Birthday Ball celebration and look forward to continuing our partnership with Maggie’s to ensure their important work can thrive for years to come.”

Rachael Davies, Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s, added:

“We’re incredibly grateful that Swansea Building Society has sponsored our 5th Birthday Ball. Sponsorship of our events is so important, and we can’t thank everyone at Swansea Building Society enough.”

Cancer, Charity, Charity & CSR, Children and Childcare, News

South London family supports Children with Cancer UK following son’s diagnosis

A family from South London is supporting leading childhood cancer charity, Children with Cancer UK, to help raise awareness following son Stanley’s cancer diagnosis.

Stanley Thompson, from Welling, London, was diagnosed with low-risk neuroblastoma,  a type of cancer that develops in early nerve cells, in December 2022, when he was just one-year-old.

One week before his first birthday, Stanley’s parents, Victoria and Bryan, noticed that Stanley was showing signs of mobility issues. After being advised that it could be a viral infection and his mobility continued to decline, Victoria and Bryan took Stanley to the hospital where he spent first birthday having tests.

An MRI detected a tumour on Stanley’s spine and within 12 hours, Stanley underwent surgery to relieve some of the pressure on his spine and was diagnosed with low-risk neuroblastoma.

Victoria comments: “You never believe any child, let alone your child, will be diagnosed with cancer. Our whole world was turned upside down when we heard that our little boy had been diagnosed with cancer just one day after his first birthday. Stanley’s diagnosis all happened so quickly, which has been incredibly hard to process, but for somebody so little, he has shown more strength and resilience than any person we know.”

Neuroblastoma is a cancer which develops from nerve cells, called neural crest cells, which are involved in the development of the nervous system and other tissues. It mostly affects babies and children under the age of five, and around 100 children per year are diagnosed in the UK.

After four intense rounds of chemotherapy and additional surgery to have his central line removed, Stanley rang the end of treatment bell in June 2023 Stanley will continue to have MRIs every three months to monitor his health.

Children with Cancer UK is sharing the inspiring story of Stanley as part of its new awareness feature on neuroblastoma.

The charity’s ‘12 Groups of Cancer’ campaign which launched earlier this year is a new series of short films which aim to help raise awareness and understanding of the 12 groups of childhood and young adult cancer types. The videos give a unique insight into the cancer type, and the information and support parents need when their child has been diagnosed.

Victoria continues: “Stanley has been through so much and we’re incredibly proud of how strong he’s been and the recovery he has made. Since having his central line removed, Stanley is now able to enjoy all the things a little boy should be able to like swimming and is now able to attend nursery which he loves.

“As a family, we continue to worry every day and will always pray for positive news when we visit the hospital every few months. We’re sharing our story in the hope that it raises awareness and the understanding of childhood cancer, and highlights the importance of new scientific research to help beat this devastating disease.”

Children with Cancer UK is one of the leading national children’s charities working towards a world where every child survives cancer.

Christiana Ogunbote, Head of Research at Children with Cancer UK, added: “We would like to thank Stanley’s family for sharing their inspirational story, and helping us to increase understanding of the profound impact it can have on young people and their families.

“As a charity, it’s our mission to fund vital research into cancers affecting children and young adults, support families and raise awareness. Our new 12 Groups of Cancer films are an important part of our ongoing awareness work, and we hope they help parents feel better prepared and informed during their child’s cancer journey.”

Survival rates for children’s cancers are improving. Fifty years ago, three-quarters of children diagnosed with cancer did not survive; today more than 8 in 10 children diagnosed with cancer in the UK survive. However, around 4,200 children and young adults are diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK, and cancer is one of the leading causes of death for young people.

To watch Children with Cancer UK’s ’12 Groups of Cancer’ campaign film on neuroblastoma, visit Children with Cancer UK – YouTube

For more information about Children with Cancer UK, go to www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk

Cancer, Healthcare, News

Children with Cancer UK supports new siblings programme from Beads of Courage UK

Leading childhood cancer charity, Children with Cancer UK, is supporting the Beads of Courage UK Siblings Programme, which will provide help and guidance for children whose siblings have been diagnosed with cancer.

Children with Cancer UK is supporting the new Siblings Programme, which launches this month, as part of its five year partnership with Beads of Courage UK.

Beads of Courage UK has supported over 14,000 children and families across the UK following the diagnosis of a serious, chronic, or life-threatening illness. Its new Siblings Programme is designed to support children whose siblings are going through cancer treatment, and give them the courage to cope with challenging situations.

The pilot scheme of the Siblings Programme will launch in the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and Sussex NHS Foundation Trust this March, and will roll out to further hospitals across the UK over the next year.

The scheme has launched with the support of ambassador Isabel Cork, aged 10 from Hampshire. In a special film, Isabel and her mum Sarah explain how the Siblings Programme has helped Isabel during her brother Thomas’ cancer treatment, allowing her to feel supported and understood. Thomas was diagnosed with a rare cancer type in October 2020.

Amar Naher, CEO Children with Cancer UK, said:

“We’re so pleased to support this important programme from Beads of Courage UK as part of our ongoing partnership. When a family receives the diagnosis that one of their children has cancer, their siblings can often feel like they have become less of a focus. The Siblings Programme is designed to give those children the support they need and remind them of their important role within the family, and how they can be a part of their sibling’s cancer journey.

“The Beads of Courage packs provide vital mental health support for children as they navigate the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and we’re delighted that the programme is now extended to siblings, so that every young person can be given the hope, guidance and encouragement they need during such a difficult and confusing time.”

Children taking part in the Siblings Programme will receive a Beads of Courage pack with each bead representing a powerful animal, alongside a collection of stories, helping the child to process and communicate their feelings in their own way – either on a one-to-one basis with a parent or as a shared activity with their sibling.

Once a sibling has been enrolled on the programme, there will be opportunities to participate in quarterly bead challenges to accrue an extra bead, so keep an eye out on the Beads of Courage UK Facebook page for such events. Each extra bead represents key milestones including birthdays, events and completing treatment such as chemotherapy and captures the moments they have shared together.

John Drummond, co-founder of Beads of Courage UK, said:

“Our goal is to shine a light on the childhood trauma that often impacts the siblings of a child diagnosed with cancer. Through our new Siblings Programme, we hope that we can support the mental health and wellbeing of every young cancer patient and their sibling, one bead at a time. Together with Children with Cancer UK, our aim is to give every young brother or sister the courage they need to move forward, and the tools to help them thrive.”

Children with Cancer UK is the leading national children’s charity working towards a world where every child survives cancer.

Amar Naher adds:

“As a charity, it’s our mission to fund vital scientific research into the causes of cancer, support families and raise awareness. Our continued partnership with Beads of Courage UK will help us to support thousands of young children and their families in hospitals and oncology wards across the UK, and we’re so proud to work together on this important initiative.”

Survival rates for children’s cancers are improving. Fifty years ago, three-quarters of children diagnosed with cancer died; today more than 8 in 10 children diagnosed with cancer in the UK survive. However, with around 4,200 new cases each year in the UK, it is still one of the leading causes of death for children and young people.

To watch the Children with Cancer and Beads of Courage UK campaign film, featuring Isabel’s story, visit: Beads of Courage UK | Siblings Programme | Children with Cancer UK

For more information about Children with Cancer UK, go to www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk and to find out about Beads of Courage UK, visit www.beadsofcourageuk.org

Cancer, News, Tech, Tech for Good, Technology

Pain and radiation-free breast cancer test wins Regional winners for Super Connect For Good competition

The Super Connect for Good (SCFG) competition powered by Empact Ventures and Hays has announced its Regional Winners from across the globe at its fourth annual event.

This year’s winners include innovative technologies such as affordable water purification, a pain and radiation-free breast cancer test, and a debit card app which helps dementia patients manage their finances.

The competition features tech startups and scaleups that bring positive social change and impact people’s lives through technology. Applicants from around the globe entered across ten innovation verticals, including ‘AI for Good’, ‘EdTech’, ‘HealthTech’, ‘MedTech’, ‘FinTech for Good’, ‘Climate Tech’, ‘Impact Challenge: Water Challenge’, ‘Impact Challenge: Mental Health and Wellbeing’, ‘General Tech for Good’, and ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’.

The SCFG competition is backed by innovation partners and judges around the world. The winners were nominated by over 40+ judges led by Hays and 10 Regional Partners, including Angels Den, Envestors, Menzies, The Werks Group, CodeBase, Europe-India Centre for Business and Industry (EICBI), She Loves Tech, Global Good, Aon, StartPlatz, Ruffena Group, Startup Lisboa and R+I Germans Hospital Trias y Pujol.

After a careful selection from the Top 100’s pitching on 5th October, the 10 Regional Winners will be pitching at the Global Final on 29th November 2023 to the global judges, where the Innovation Winners and overall Global Winner will be announced.

This year’s regional winners include:

 

  • DACH and Nordics: 4Life Solutions offers a safe and affordable water purification solution for low-income communities.
  • France and BeNeLuX: TechnoCarbon provides an incredibly low-carbon material to replace steel and concrete.
  • Central and Eastern Europe: Teachers Lead Tech brings a comprehensive system to teach creative computer science in primary school.
  • Southern Europe: The Blue Box Biomedical Solutions offers a pain-free, radiation-free, accessible breast cancer test for women.
  • Southwest, North of England, and Midlands: Sibstar provides a flexible debit card and app, helping families living with dementia to safely manage their everyday spending. 
  • London and South East: Zero Gravity spots unrecognised talent and unlocks it, spreading opportunity across the UK and powering high-potential students into top universities and careers.
  • Celtic: Scrapp reduces the amount of waste going into our ecosystems by incentivising correct disposal practices.
  • Australia and New Zealand: Swan Systems provides an all-in-one water and nutrient management solution with the world’s most advanced water management software.
  • East Asia: Socious is a talent marketplace that allows people to work for social and environmental impact without sacrificing their career or financial goals resulting in more skilled individuals dedicating their time to solving complex problems such as climate change, poverty, and gender inequality.
  • South and Southeast Asia: Global Safe Water Service Pte makes safe water available, accessible, and affordable.

 

Along with the opportunity to be a Global Winner, the winners will receive a 12 Month Subscription of Hays Rise Experience, a LinkedIn Live appearance on Hays’ page, exposure on the Hays Technology insights blog, Digital Solution profiling on Hays.com and regional sites, one free recruitment hire (up to 120k salary) over a 12-month period, access to Go1 Training Platform, along with unique regional prizes.

 

James Milligan, Global Head of Technology at Hays, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to announce the Regional Winners for our fourth Super Connect For Good Competition. This year, we had exceptional submissions across the globe with strong social purposes from diverse teams. The Regional Winners this year were clear with their project’s impact on society, with some having confidence that their project can address several UN Global Goals.”

 

Kosta Mavroulakis, Founder & CEO of Empact Ventures, commented: “We are delighted to announce the fourth edition of our Super Connect for Good Competition Regional Winner for 2023. Each one makes or strives to make an aggregate social impact through technology. We’d like to thank all the participants, the judges and partners for their hard work over the past year.”

 

To find out who the Top 100 Finalists for 2023 are, visit here.

If you’d like to attend the Global Final on 29th November 2023, please register at www.superconnectforgood.org 

 

Cancer, Charity, News

Breast cancer awareness charity turns to creative agency Milk & Tweed to help spread its checking message

YOUNG peoples’ breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! has worked with web designers at Wiltshire creative agency Milk & Tweed, to update its online checking tool, The Self-Checkout.

The charity, set up by twins Kris and Maren Hallenga in 2009 after Kris was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer aged 23, aims to educate young people aged 18 to 24, on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and make chest checking part of their regular routine.

CoppaFeel! came up with the idea for a self-check education tool, available through its website, to take young people through a chest checking routine, and what to do if they find anything unusual. It also allows them to set up a monthly checking reminder to follow up.

“There are many misconceptions of breast cancer, and one that we see often is that it’s a disease that only affects older women, but that isn’t the case,” said CoppaFeel! PR and Marketing Manager Poppy Brady. “So Kris and Maren started a charity to try and combat the inequalities in healthcare and provision.

“The self-checkout itself was created as a way of helping young people to learn how to check themselves. Having open conversations about chest checking helps to normalise adding it to your routine. We know that young people can be fearful of what might happen if they notice something different to their normal, but we are here to ensure everyone is educated so they are in the right position to seek medical advice if they feel they need to.”

The charity carried out extensive research with young people to understand how they used the self-checkout and what could be improved to make the user journey as easy as possible. It worked with Milk & Tweed’s designers at its Huxley studio in Brighton to make it more engaging and user friendly. The agency, which specialises in website, branding and logo design and digital marketing, developed new branding, a smooth user journey and new ways to provide inclusive and accessible chest-checking information

Becca Yates, the charity’s Digital Marketing Executive, worked closely with Milk & Tweed’s Huxley team. “Our education team and marketing team worked with the team at Huxley who were able to bring their digital first expertise,” she said. “It was great to come together to ensure that young people’s  wants and needs for chest-checking was at the forefront of the self-checkout revamp.”

“We want to continue to improve the self-checkout as we learn more about our users and how we can continue to promote regular chest-checking among young people.”

She said working with Milk & Tweed has been a positive experience. “Every step of the way it felt super collaborative and really empowering,” she said. “They really listened and understood our  brief, and also challenged our thoughts about how we could rework the self-checkout.”

Liz Ide, Head of Operations at Milk & Tweed’s Huxley office, said: “CoppaFeel! are a dream client to work with so it was a pleasure to undertake a big project like this with them. We redesigned and developed the site and then the important self-checkout tool and we are delighted with the result. I’m really proud of the team and hope that CoppaFeel! reach their audience to deliver their vital message more easily as a result.”

Becca added: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women under the age of 39* and we see the statistics telling us that young people do get breast cancer, and are often misdiagnosed. For us, the self-checkout is about making sure young people are adding chest checking into their monthly routine, having the confidence to check their chest and making sure that they’re getting to know their body.

“We want them to be aware enough that, should they notice something that doesn’t look or feel right, to be empowered to go to the doctor and seek medical advice. Working with Milk & Tweed is helping us achieve that.”

See the self-checkout at self-checkout.coppafeel.org/. Find out more about Milk & Tweed’s services at its offices in Chippenham and Brighton at milkandtweed.com.

 

 

AI, Awards, Cancer, Health, Healthcare Tech, News, Technology

AI innovations set to revolutionise the NHS.

Answer Digital picked up the Artificial Intelligence Project of the Year award for its pioneering work in advancing AI, accelerating the diagnosis of cancer, stroke and other health conditions in the NHS, at the prestigious UK IT Industry Awards 2023.

The Leeds-based consultancy is working with The London Medical Imaging and AI Centre for Value-Based Healthcare, a consortium of 10 NHS Trusts, to deploy a multi-modal AI platform that supports clinicians with faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatments, personalised therapies, and effective screening across various conditions and procedures.

‘AIDE’, the AI Deployment Engine, is a unique platform designed to implement AI at scale within the NHS. As an intelligent multi-modal platform, it increases the potential benefit of AI by creating a single interface for the deployment of many different AI tools, directly to NHS frontline services.

FLIP enables data from multiple NHS trusts to be used to train new AI models for future clinical use using privacy-preserving Federated Learning technology so that the patient data never needs to be pooled or shared outside of the originating NHS trust.

Based on the ongoing success at Kings College Hospital, AIDE has subsequently been rolled out in six NHS Trusts, proving itself as an effective channel for widespread AI deployment across the NHS to benefit patients.

The work is paving the way for AI-enabled hospitals and the future of patient care. Federated learning is being employed to address the long-standing issues surrounding privacy, security and anonymity when collating the large volumes of sensitive patient data traditionally required to teach machines.

Sophisticated AI algorithms from NHS medical images and patient data provide tools for clinicians to speed up and improve diagnosis and care across several patient pathways, including strokes, dementia, heart failure and cancer.

The platform receives a live stream of medical imaging data, allowing clinicians to access near real-time AI analysis within seconds. Once an AI has analysed the clinical data, the results are sent to the electronic patient record to support clinical decision-making.

In developing the award-winning solutions, Answer leveraged its cloud capabilities and understanding of NHS Trust landscapes to create a hybrid cloud/on-premise architecture that delivers value for money, innovation and rapid delivery.

Richard Pugmire, director at Answer Digital, commented: “The award is fantastic recognition for the hard work of the Answer team. We have developed a very close partnership with the NHS on what has become a nationally significant innovation that advances personalised and digitally-enabled healthcare provision across the whole service.”

“The AI programme allows Answer to bring the best technical, clinical and academic minds together to deliver a solution, capable of changing the way healthcare is provided for many years to come. Given the expertise of the partners involved and the nature of AI as a tool, the whole project has the capacity to be truly transformative for the NHS.”

Held in Battersea, London, the UK IT Industry Awards 2023, brings together industry leaders and innovators to celebrate the top achievements in the tech world over the last 12 months. The annual event emphasises acknowledging brilliance and innovation with more than thirty awards distributed, highlighting exceptional projects, companies and individuals shaping the tech landscape.

Cancer, Healthcare, News

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Why Our Focus Should Be on Increasing Access to Preventative and Diagnostic Resources

MUCH more needs to be done to boost access to breast cancer screening in developing countries, a leading humanitarian expert has said.

Shameet Thakkar’s warning comes as the world marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time where efforts to raise awareness about the disease intensify, and people around the planet come together to support those affected and help others gain the knowledge they need to prevent it.

Through his role as managing director of Leicester-based Unimed  Procurement Services, Mr Thakkar partners with purpose-led organisations to source and deliver diagnostic equipment to countries in need.

One recent project saw Unimed deliver 351 portable scanners to Ecuador – which will help thousands of women in the country to receive an earlier cancer diagnosis.

But Mr Thakkar said much more help is needed in other parts of the world.

 

Shameet Thakkar

 

He said:  “Raising awareness of the importance of early detection through regular screenings like MRI, mammograms and ultrasound scans is a vital part of our fight against breast cancer,” he says.

“Preventative actions are key, making breast cancer more treatable and curable when found at an early stage, therefore increasing the chances of successful treatment and survival. When it is diagnosed at an advanced stage, treatment often involves more aggressive therapies like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Detecting it early may allow for less invasive and less debilitating treatment options.

“But what about developing nations, who simply cannot afford to offer these vital diagnostic services to their populations?

 

“The lack of equal access to healthcare around the world doesn’t solely translate to the inability to receive treatment, but also extends to preventative and diagnostic resources, which in turn causes more individuals to become ill,  creating a vicious cycle.

“One of our most recent projects involved delivering 351 portable ultrasound machines to Ecuador in South America, delivering this much-needed diagnostic equipment to the country to ultimately help strengthen its health system, in line with our mission to increase equitable access to healthcare.

“Preventive and diagnostic care is key to building more inclusive and resilient healthcare systems, but we have a long way to go before this vision becomes a reality.

“The focus on treatment within developing countries stems from the need to cure those who are already sick – in most cases a large portion of the population – meaning that a profound shift in our priorities needs to take place to  create change in the long term.

“Prevention is an essential part of our overall efforts to combat breast cancer and improve the well-being of individuals and communities at risk.

“We need to increase our efforts to give everyone an equal chance to protect themselves against this disease, not just those who are fortunate enough to live in countries that can effectively tend to their healthcare needs.”

 

 

He added:  “Within breast cancer research, a lot of thought has rightly been given to early detection, but many neglect to consider that less fortunate populations simply don’t have access to the diagnostic equipment that is instrumental in fighting this disease.

“And we can’t forget the emotional and economic impact of breast cancer, which places a significant burden on individuals, families – particularly those who are already struggling with poverty – and healthcare systems as a whole.

 

Learn more about the key role of prevention in improving global health:

https://www.unimedps.com/post/the-link-between-strong-health-systems-and-prevention-building-resilience-to-improve-global-health