The Beat it Project will 50 involve taking photographs of 50 famous drummers to raise £50k for clinical research at The Christie - Dionne Cyprus

Dionne Cyprus, clinical photographer at The Christie

Dionne Cyprus

I have worked as a clinical photographer in the medical illustration department at The Christie since 2005.

I first became aware of The Christie and its excellent reputation during visits with my husband Chris, after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2001. He was treated with radiotherapy and surgery and we felt very lucky at that point to have The Christie nearby.

Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a second more aggressive tumour two years later, completely unrelated to the first. Back to The Christie he came for more surgery and radiotherapy. We were so impressed by all the staff, particularly the radiotherapy team, who put him at ease and made the time spent there easier to cope with. The after effects of Chris’s treatment were difficult for him to deal with. We were also told we would have only a 20% chance of having children using IVF treatment, which came as a shock to both of us at such a young age.

After Chris had recovered from this second diagnosis, I saw a job advertised at The Christie, for a clinical photographer and I knew I had to go for it. I was offered the job and felt really proud to become a part of the medical illustration team.

In late 2008, after a great deal of thought, we decided to go ahead with IVF. Fortunately for us, the treatment worked and we had our son, Drew in 2009.

After having Drew and realising how lucky we were to have this amazing hospital on our doorstep, I decided I wanted to start my own fundraising project to help generate money for men’s cancer research and help support people in a similar situation to Chris. I started coming up with ideas for projects which would combine my two passions, drumming and photography, and the beat it project was born!

I made a decision to set the bar high at a 50K target, and the idea gradually evolved that I would be taking portraits of 50 drummers and then holding an auction event at an iconic Manchester venue further down the line.

Dionne with Professor Noel Clarke and Mel Stewart (sponsor)

In collaboration with Noel Clarke, Professor of urological oncology at The Christie, I decided to donate the money raised towards funding a live tissue bio-bank, allowing research to be carried out into the specific causes of men’s cancers at the hospital.

The most difficult aspect of the project has been managing the logistics of travelling and organising photo sessions, which can be tricky with high profile drummers who work to an extremely tight schedule.  I have been very lucky with most of the people I have contacted so far, who have all been really generous with their time. I have also met some amazing people through the project and managed to get sponsors on board including the British Drum Company in Stockport, a team of craftsmen who build bespoke kits.  

The project has ultimately shown me how kind people are, with amazing donations and help coming from people when you least expect it.

So far I have photographed Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili peppers), Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine), Ben Thatcher (Royal Blood), along with local drummers Joe Donovan (Blossoms) and Paul Kehoe (Peter Hook and the light); and I hope to secure many more in the coming months … including my personal favourite Dave Grohl of legendary Nirvana/Foo Fighters fame!

Check out the website www.beat-it-project.org  to keep up to date with the latest news and to donate.

If you are a Manchester based company and would like to contribute to the beat it fund by becoming an official sponsor for the project, please contact Dionne through the beat it website.

Being filmed helped me voice my personal opinions about cancer services - Bex Smalley

Bex Smalley, Christie patient and patient representative 

Bex Smalley

2015 was a big year for me as I celebrated 10 years in remission. This made me stop and think. I wanted to give back more than my annual fundraising events. So I started looking online for a more hands on approach. I wanted to help more. 

I started off by volunteering for Macmillan, leaving reviews on books and leaflets all based around cancer but I was looking for something much more hands on. Then I received an email about an organisation called Manchester Cancer and who were involved in something called a Vanguard. When I read more about this I found out that one of the aims of the Vanguard was to improve cancer care though early diagnosis and prevention around the Manchester area. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to get involved in. 

Since getting involved, I’ve had a busy time. I have been involved in lots of meetings and was asked to be in a video they were doing to show at a big eye opening event. 

The Greater Manchester Cancer Vanguard event was something that I felt very privileged to be a part of. It is very much centred on making positive changes to cancer care in Greater Manchester. To be in a room full of medical experts, chief executives and other patients who felt like me was daunting at first, but every person there made me feel welcome and an equal. They kept saying that patients are at the heart of these new services. 

Before this event I had no idea of the hard work that was going on to try to improve the system. Listening to the consultants and specialists speak with such passion for change made me very hopeful for the future. 

Being filmed helped me to voice my personal opinions about cancer services and to share my own cancer experience. 

When I was 17 years old I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. By the time I reached The Christie I was informed that it was a stage 4 cancer (the most serious). My left lung had collapsed and I had 4 tumours. 

One of them they classed as ‘bulk’ which they explained to me meant that it was larger than 13 centimetres (if my memory serves me correctly). 

This had all happened because I wasn’t taken seriously by my GP. I had visited several times over the course of around 2 years, but wasn’t referred to The Christie until the end of that period. I believe that this delay meant I needed to go through aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. 

I cannot fault the efforts of The Christie, nor the treatment given to me at the time. However, I have since found out that they no longer use the chemotherapy I was given as they have found a less invasive version. But this is just a sign of how treatment is improving. A lot of chemotherapy leaves people with side effects that they will suffer with for the rest of their lives. A common one being infertility, which is something I was warned about numerous times. However, in 2013, against all odds, I managed to welcome my daughter, Georgie into the world. 

Although I was incredibly lucky to have my daughter, the problems I faced were all due to my late diagnosis. This along with better patient aftercare is very close to my heart. 

Surprisingly, I found that after my treatment was when I needed help the most. I’m very pleased that these are some of the issues that Manchester Cancer and The Vanguard want to improve, especially early diagnosis, as this is so important in the most important thing - survival!

Being involved in such a large movement is more than I could have hoped for just a year ago and I feel very privileged to be a small part of the changes being made. It also gives me a chance to give back to the hospital, people and charities that helped save my life. 
If we can galvanise the system through experiences like my own, it almost makes my late diagnosis worth it.