Knowing that I was now under the care of a Christie consultant meant I could start to think about a future - Lynne Potts

Lynne Potts, Christie patient and fundraiser

Lynne Potts

Since being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in October 2016 and treated at The Christie I’m now aiming to raise £25k for breast care at The Christie as a way of saying thank you for my treatment.

Back in 2016, in my mind, I was a fit and healthy 55-year-old. There was no history of cancer in my family and I thought cancer was an illness that would never affect me.

How wrong I was though! I had been suffering from back pain since May 2016 but because of my phobia of doctors, I had gone to see a physio thinking I had a sporting injury. After a few weeks, he said that I should see a doctor because I wasn’t responding to treatment.

My GP referred me to a rheumatologist and a scan showed I had a secondary tumour of the spine and because of my age the most likely source of the primary tumour was my breast.

Within days I had seen a breast surgeon who told me that he was optimistic The Christie would be able to treat me. That gave me a real boost and knowing that I was now under the care of a Christie consultant, I could start to think about a future.

My consultant was amazing. Recognising the seriousness of my back condition and that without surgery I would end up losing my ability to walk, he took responsibility for the coordination of my care. I was really starting to struggle with my mobility and it was imperative that my back was sorted as quickly as possible. Neurosurgeons performed major emergency surgery in November 2016 and I was miraculously out of bed within 36 hours of surgery and learning to walk again. 

Within a month I was able to walk with the aid of a stick and was back at The Christie.

My consultant assessed that I was fit enough to start 18 weeks of chemotherapy but I was upset that I couldn’t go back to work because of the toxicity of the drugs.

Although the chemotherapy was tough, I also had funny experiences on the way, managing to get myself admitted to hospital with a high temperature, only to find my thermometer was broken!

Lynne arranged for the police horses to visit The Christie

Fortunately, I responded to the chemotherapy well and returned to work in April 2017. Since then, I have been able to combine an active life and work with ongoing treatment. I had radiotherapy on my back and I have immunotherapy infusions and regular scans to check there hasn’t been any further spread of cancer.

I am determined to lead a normal life for as long as I can, and my way of saying thank you is a fundraising campaign – the Windmill – which will raise £25k for breast care at The Christie and £25k for the neurosurgery department at Salford Royal. 

I won’t give up until the last penny has been handed over!

If you have been inspired by Lynne’s story and would like to donate, please visit www.christies.org/donate or call 0161 446 3988.

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.

I hope that my contribution has contributed to furthering the research that will one day help to eradicate this insidious disease - Tony Collier

Tony Collier, Christie patient and fundraiser

Tony Collier

When you hear those awful words ‘cancer’ and ‘incurable’ and it’s you that they are talking about, it’s incredibly tough. No one, other than fellow cancer sufferers, has any idea how indescribably difficult it is. Your world simply falls apart, you are terrified about the future, you don’t understand anything because you can’t focus and you just don’t know how you are going to get through the next five minutes let alone the day.

What made things worse for me was that I went to see a doctor on 8th May this year because I thought I had a groin strain from running and was due to run an ultra-marathon in South Africa on 4th June involving a 56-mile run and 6,500 feet of climbing in very warm weather. I thought that a cortisone injection might sort it out and enable me to compete in the ultra. I had run two marathons a week apart in April, and as far as I was concerned I was superman - super fit and indestructible!

An MRI scan showed something untoward and the doctor sent me for more tests immediately. At 8pm on 9th May the doctor broke the news to me that he thought I had prostate cancer that had spread to the pelvic bone. 

Within two weeks this was confirmed and I knew that the cancer was widespread throughout my bones. I knew that if I didn’t respond to treatment it was likely that I might only have two years left. 

Given that I only passed 60 in February, and was super fit, it would be fair to say that I was totally shell-shocked and my wife and I pretty much fell apart.

Over the following weeks, The Christie became our second home, with weekly visits and lots of tests. 

I had descended into a horrible state of fear, depression and deep concern for the future, often having feelings of total and utter terror.

However, the incredibly dedicated team at The Christie gradually brought us back to a state nearer normality. 

The doctor, nurses and other members of The Christie team helped bring clarity of thought and focus. They gave my wife and I a huge amount of reassurance that we desperately needed. And, whilst things will never be quite the same again, we know that I am in the best hands - safe and caring. We also received support from the Maggie’s centre at The Christie and from Macmillan nurses.

Much of the support I have benefited from is only available at The Christie because of the hospital’s charity, and thousands of amazing fundraisers, who make the additional services possible.

The Christie charity raises money for research, patient care and treatment, education, and extra patient services. 

The Christie’s involvement in clinical trials meant that I was one of the first people to benefit from the findings of the STAMPEDE trial. This meant I had access to an alternative, potentially more beneficial treatment regime and was, at least for the time being, able to avoid chemotherapy.

Tony running

I have also benefitted from the alternative therapies that are funded by The Christie charity. One of the major side effects of prostate cancer treatment is the loss of testosterone which leads to horrendous fatigue plus hot flushes (now I know how the women feel). I was guided to try acupuncture, which is offered to help patients with these side effects, and immediately after the first weekly session felt so much better and able to cope with day to day living.

Over my life, I’ve done massive amounts of community work. In recent years as chairman of Altrincham and Sale chamber of commerce and the Altrincham town centre neighbourhood plan, both organisations are heavily involved in the regeneration of Altrincham town centre. I’m also secretary of my running club, which involves giving up a lot of my time. However, there I was after a cancer diagnosis, the beneficiary of the work of others. Work that may well prolong my life, but will certainly make it more bearable. 

Having seen first-hand the work of The Christie and knowing about its work from friends and family members affected by cancer, I felt that I wanted to give something back. I also needed a challenge and an aim to get me back out running, so I decided to enter the Manchester half marathon.

Doing this gave me some focus and I asked The Christie charity if I could run it for them and raise some funds. I felt pretty comfortable that I would be able to reach the target of £100 but have since been staggered that, with gift aid and off-line donations, I have raised nearly £5,000 with more to come! No pressure then!

Having recovered from a stress fracture of the pelvic bone where it had been weakened by cancer, I got back to running. My oncologist had warned me to expect to be a lot slower due to the lack of testosterone, and I found that it was taking 20% more effort to run 10% slower than pre-treatment. However, I was determined to run this half marathon and there was a lot of money resting on it.

I managed to build up to 10 miles in training, albeit tediously and painfully slow. I took the view that if I could do 10 miles then surely I could do 13.1 on race day. It seemed like a plan!
In 2016 I ran the Manchester half marathon in 1 hour 39 minutes and my best ever time was 1 hour 31 minutes. My ambition for the 2017 race was to finish in one piece without killing myself and, maybe, 2 hours 10 minutes would be possible.

The race morning was an untypical sunny and warm autumn Manchester day, which immediately made things tougher. I decided to run with the sub-two-hour pacemaker (roughly 9 minutes per mile) and see how long I could last. Amazingly, I found myself feeling comfortable running at 8 minutes 45 seconds per mile and pulled ahead of the pacemaker, but always with the thought that I would probably have to walk a bit once I got past 10 miles. Remarkably, I didn’t have to walk and eventually crossed the line in 1 hour 56 minutes feeling totally elated. 

The run gave me a massive mental boost with the thought that I had achieved something that I knew, even to me as an ultra-marathon runner, was going to be really tough. At the same time, I knew that I had done a huge amount of good for an amazing charity that helps me and so many other cancer patients. I hope that my contribution has, in some small way, contributed to furthering the research that will one day help to eradicate this insidious disease which affects the lives of so many people. 

And finally, prostate cancer is often a silent symptomless killer. I would urge all men to get themselves regularly tested from their mid 40’s onwards until the time when regular screening is introduced.

To find out more about how to support The Christie charity please visit www.christie.nhs.uk/the-christie-charity/

I am eternally grateful to The Christie charity for helping me to become a person again, rather than a patient - David Shelton

David Shelton at The Christie charity sporting reception

David Shelton, Christie patient and fundraiser 

At 7.13 am on Friday 16th May 2015 I was standing on the side of the swimming pool as I did at the same time most mornings, but something felt different. My muscles feel stiff, just like I’d played a hard game of squash the previous day.  A swim normally sorts out my stiff muscles. I jumped in and wished I hadn’t. I could barely move and only just managed to struggle to the steps and haul myself out. Something was very wrong.

The GP practice was on my way home and I decided to call in and was fortunate to get an emergency appointment. I explained that I was planning to catch the ferry to Ireland the next day for my youngest son, James’ wedding. The GP was puzzled by the symptoms but took some blood tests.

The following Monday I had a call from my GP (you know you’re in trouble when the GP phones you!) to say that the blood tests had revealed that I have a CK level of 27,000. CK or creatine kinase is a product of muscle breakdown which is normally less than 190 units per litre. The GP said that these sort of levels are usually seen in pedestrians who had been involved in serious road accidents or athletes who had run multiple marathons and he asked me to go to A&E immediately.

I was admitted to the local district general hospital where I stayed for three weeks whilst a series of tests and scans were conducted. I was allowed out for James’ wedding subject to strict instructions to stay in a wheelchair and to be back at the ward by 10 pm. 

The scans revealed that I had a group of enlarged lymph nodes below my liver and the muscle breakdown seemed to be the result of a rare autoimmune disease, Dermatomyositis.  

In order to make a diagnosis, the doctors attempted to sample the lymph nodes using a needle biopsy but this was unsuccessful. They concluded that a major and potentially risky operation was required to open the abdomen and access the lymph nodes below the liver.  

Despite having friends and relatives locally I really wanted to be treated at home and had asked for a referral to The Christie. The day before the exploratory surgery was due to be carried-out I heard from Professor Radford at The Christie that he and his lymphoma team were able to accept me as a patient.

The staff at the general hospital had been great but they had never seen this rare combination of symptoms before. It was a huge relief to arrive at The Christie and to be told that they had seen patients like me before, rather than having a series of consultations, where they all said they had never seen my condition before and would I mind if they asked a colleague to have a look.

The Christie was able to sample the lymph nodes using a CT guided probe without major surgery and confirmed that I had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

Professor Radford’s diagnosis was that my immune system was attacking the lymphoma and that to my immune system; my muscles looked similar to the lymphoma so it was attacking them as well. If they could cure the lymphoma then the Dermatomyositis would be cured as well. 

Professor Radford was also able to refer me to the specialist rheumatology team at Salford Royal to help to manage the Dermatomyositis

Six rounds of the ‘R-CHOP’ chemotherapy later the scans showed no activity in my lymph nodes and my CK levels were down to nearly normal levels. I had lost three stone in weight, as well as the ability to swallow and the muscular strength in most of my shoulders, upper arms, legs and trunk.

I worked hard to rebuild my lost muscle mass and function. This was a long process punctuated by small victories, like the day I could put my own socks on, or walk to the end of the garden without a stick. At the start of this year I had progressed to a stage where I could do everything I needed to, but not everything I wanted to.

Like many patients, I really wanted to provide some tangible help and support to The Christie. My eldest son Cliff suggested that his brothers and I should cycle the 300 miles from London to Paris in 3.5 days in order to raise money for The Christie. Considering my physical condition at the time, he might as well have suggested that I cycle to the moon! Still, with some trepidation, we put our names down for the September event.

My first step was to buy a suitable bike and I can still remember the look of pity on the salesman’s face when I couldn’t even lift my leg over the crossbar. My first target was to be able to cycle five miles, which I achieved after the first month. As the months passed by I put in over 1,300 miles of training and eventually I could cycle 90 miles in a day. The unknown question on the day of the challenge was could I get up the next day and do the same and then do it again?

At 6 am on Wednesday 13th September, Team Shelton (my sons and I) assembled with another 100 riders for the briefing at Crystal Palace in London. Ahead of us was 90 miles riding through the Kent countryside to reach the assembly point in Dover by 4 pm. Then we had another five miles to reach the overnight accommodation in Calais. The weather was dry but very windy. We arrived before 3 pm to find that the ferry was delayed by bad weather and finally reached our hotel at 11 pm, tired but happy.

David and his sons

The next day we rode from Calais to Abbeville, 76 miles through glorious Normandy countryside. The French roads are fantastic for cycling and I didn’t see my first pothole until we passed the 150 mile mark! We were beginning to relax into the ride by this stage and chatting with the other riders, all of whom had inspirational stories to about why they were putting themselves through the physical challenge.

On the third day, we cycled the 67 miles from Abbeville to Beauvais. Much to the frustration of the rest of Team Shelton I had three punctures in quick succession. Chatting to the team mechanic over lunch he explained that he has used 600 inner tubes in the morning repairing punctures due to small flints being washed onto the roads by heavy rain overnight.

The final day involved a 56-mile ride from Beauvais to Paris. I distinguished myself by gracefully falling off my bike into a flower bed in the Paris suburbs as I forget which foot to unclip at some traffic lights. We assembled at the Bois de Boulogne for the final cycle through Paris; round the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower. 

Alarmingly we were briefed to keep going no matter what and don’t stop for traffic lights, junctions, or even injured team members! Once we got used to riding in a large group, defying all known traffic regulations was surprisingly good fun. We got a great reception from the Paris crowds with a lot of cheering, blaring of car horns (supportive I think?) and only a few shouts of Le Brexitieers!

Arriving at the Eiffel Tower was quite emotional for me. My wife, daughter-in-law and 8-month-old grandson are there to welcome Team Shelton to Paris. We were treated to a celebration dinner and then got the Eurostar back to London the following day.

I am eternally grateful to The Christie. The expertise, care and kindness provided by Professor Radford and his team saved my life. 

I also have reason to be grateful to The Christie charity. Team Shelton set out to raise money for The Christie in appreciation of what it had done for me. But curiously taking on the London to Paris challenge helped immeasurably with my recuperation. For me, and I suspect other cancer patients, recuperation has a psychological as well as a physical component. Becoming a person again, rather than a patient, and regaining confidence in my own body were big issues. The London to Paris challenge helped tremendously in putting me on the road to full recovery.

Having completed the challenge, I was pleasantly surprised to be asked to speak at The Christie charity sporting reception on 7th December 2017. More than 125 guests attended, all of whom had helped the charity raise over £2m this year from sporting challenges. A further 125 had attended a similar reception a week earlier.  I found the event very moving and was amazed at the range of activities undertaken to raise money for The Christie. Running, cycling, walking and parachuting were all well represented along with some more esoteric challenges such as fire walking!

Interesting presentations were given by the chief executive of The Christie on the inspirational work of the hospital, by the charity on the important contribution it makes to support the hospital, and by former patients on how they had capitalised on the second chance for life that The Christie had given them. All those who had participated in sporting challenges were presented with “I did it for The Christie” pins and I will now wear mine with pride.

We are really fortunate to have this world-class cancer hospital in the North West and we should all do our very best to support The Christie.

To find out more about how to support The Christie charity please visit www.christie.nhs.uk/the-christie-charity.

I confronted my fear of heights and did a Skydive because The Christie is second to none for cancer care and treatment - Phil Shaw

Phil Shaw, Divisional Director for Interserve Construction delivering The Christie’s proton beam therapy centre

Phil Shaw

Interserve is working with The Christie to bring the UK's first high energy proton beam therapy service to Manchester. The state of the art five-storey building will provide three treatment gantries, a research room, a patient reception, consultation rooms and public space.

As Divisional Director I have ultimate responsibility for the delivery of this pioneering project, which is nearing completion and is being fitted out with its equipment. This project has been an inspirational one to work on, and working at The Christie is very rewarding. I’m so proud to lead the team delivering this project that will make such a huge difference to patients quality of life.

Working with The Christie has had a profound impact on me. Key to this is the fact that I have been touched by The Christie and the fantastic care they provide for cancer patients. A close friend, a family member and a colleague have all been treated at The Christie so I know that the work they do is second to none! Being onsite I see the amazing care and treatment provided by the dedicated staff and I feel compelled to fundraise to help create awareness and contribute to enabling this world class treatment to continue.

So each year I set myself a new challenge. This year I decided to confront my fear of heights by doing a Skydive for The Christie. If anyone is considering taking part in The Christie’s Skydive, I would whole-heartedly recommend it.

The adrenalin rush is amazing, with a feeling of freedom and an incredible sense of accomplishment, pretty much nothing on earth can beat it!

Although nothing seems more unnatural than jumping out of an aeroplane, and despite it scaring the living daylights out of me, I’ve never felt more empowered.

Once my parachute opened and my heart rate steadied, I took a moment to gaze around and saw the world in a new light. It’s beautiful up there, and the experience is about as close to flying as humans can actually get.

There is another bonus too….you’re strapped to an experienced instructor and dive together. Not only does this mean you don’t have to worry about making any mistakes, it also means he or she will be doing all the hard work!

At Interserve, we are passionate about improving the lives of people in the communities where we live and work, and involvement in charity work is a vital part of our corporate aims. The Christie’s proximity to our regional office allows us to see first-hand the great work that the charity does in the North West and the fantastic care and treatment the hospital proves to cancer patients.

To find out more about doing a Skydive for The Christie in 2018 please visit christie.nhs.uk/the-christie-charity/get-involved/fundraise/events/uk-challenges/skydive/

Put the fun into fundraising: We’re proud to support the ‘We did it for The Christie’ (#wediditforthechristie) campaign - Neil Tinsley

Neil Tinsley, Treasurer of the Nantwich Christie Hospital Support Group
 

Neil Tinsley

Almost two decades ago my life changed forever; my next door neighbour Liz stuck her head over the garden fence and asked if I’d be interested in joining a charity fundraising group that she was part of.

She said their treasurer had moved on and they were looking for a new one and she knew that I was working in an accounts department of a large computer company. I agreed to go along to the group’s next meeting and the rest is history as they say!

That group was the Nantwich Christie Hospital Support Group. At the time, the group was organising its third black-tie ball at the Nantwich Civil Hall; I couldn’t recall ever going to such an event before and I certainly hadn’t been involved in helping to organise one, but I said I’d be happy to do whatever they wanted me to do.

In the run up to the ball we were selling tickets for a grand draw which would be drawn on the night, this involved standing in the centre of Crewe and Nantwich trying to catch peoples’ eyes and persuade them to part with their hard-earned money, not an easy task!  

It was during this activity that I first started to realise how important The Christie, or Christie’s hospital as it was then known, was to people. Strangers were coming up and pouring their hearts out about how they or someone they knew was being treated at the hospital and how if it wasn’t for the fantastic doctors and nurses they probably would not be around.

It was all tear-jerking stuff and I began to realise that what the Nantwich group was doing was really making a difference. The grand draw and the summer ball were a great success and we were invited along to meet the research team to hand over the £16,000 that we’d raised. This had taken the group’s overall total to a fantastic £38,000 and Sarah, the group’s Chair, and the other committee members had said that this was way over what they had originally set out to make and that it was time to stop.

We arrived at The Christie and were given a tour round the research facilities, introduced to a number of researchers who thanked us for all our efforts and explained to us that if it wasn’t for people like us then the massive progress that had been achieved in treating cancer patients might stop! We handed over our donation, had the photoshoot with the large cheque and left … as we walked out of the door we all looked at each other and we knew we couldn’t stop fundraising, however, we all agreed ‘No more balls!’

So, at our next meeting we agreed that we had to carry on with our fundraising but rather than organising large, one-off events we would focus on smaller more regular events and that’s what we’ve been doing ever since … plus we have broken our own ‘no more balls’ rule on a number of occasions as we have reached significant milestones in our fundraising journey. In fact, we are currently in the process of organising next year’s ‘silver anniversary ball’ to celebrate 25 years of fundraising for The Christie. Find out more at www.facebook.com/events/1281834165258638 and email sarah@mrsdarlingtons.com to reserve your ticket.

A couple of years ago I was asked to speak at a fundraisers’ forum at The Christie and my message to the people gathered in the auditorium was to make sure you have fun – ‘put the fun into fundraising’ – and that way it doesn’t seem like hard work. It is certainly something our Nantwich group does.

Neil with the Nantwich Christie Hospital Support Group

We are a very relaxed group of friends who just so happen to raise money for a fantastic cause along the way.

Earlier this year our group had the great honour of being asked to help launch the ‘We did it for The Christie’ (#wediditforthechristie) campaign. This important new campaign aims to bring in new supporters for The Christie and encourage supporters to fundraise for the vital work done by The Christie.

Twenty years ago, I would never have imagined that people would be coming up to me in the street and saying ‘Oh, you’re the bingo caller from that do we went to last week’ or ‘could you please make the questions at next year’s quiz a bit easier so we don’t win the wooden spoon again!’

Joining the Nantwich Christie Hospital Support Group really did change my life. Since joining I now have an amazing circle of friends, a fantastic social life and most of all I know that I’m helping, in a very small way, to improve the lives of others. I have a lot to thank my neighbour Liz for!

You can follow the Nantwich Christie Hospital Support Group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NantwichChristie or Twitter at www.twitter.com/NantChristie

Choosing to have my treatment at The Christie was the best decision I ever made - Esther Parkinson

Esther Parkinson, Christie patient and fundraiser

Esther Parkinson

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2013. It’s a date that will always stick in my mind, and sometimes still feels like yesterday. Diagnosis day was a very dark day. 

Anyone who has been affected by cancer, directly or indirectly will know the impact it has on your life. Not just yours but others around you too. It turns your world upside down and rips up the rule book on emotions and how you should feel. You don’t know where to put yourself, what to do, what to say, whether to cry, whether to shout etc. It sends your head completely into a spin.

I was diagnosed at my local hospital in Blackpool. At the time, my mum and my sister were with me when I received the news.  We went home that day, very quiet and caught up in our own thoughts. 

Fortunately for me, my sister is a consultant oncologist (in Cambridge) and a few days later, she recommended The Christie as a place to have my treatment. Although I’d vaguely heard of The Christie, I wasn’t aware of its renowned reputation and the brilliant work it does. So for me, I was weighing up having my treatment just 15 minutes down the road in Blackpool, versus travelling more than an hour each way to Manchester every time. 

My head was still scrambled at that point, as I was still trying to deal with the news of my diagnosis. So in my eyes, the less travel involved, the better - especially if I was feeling unwell due to the treatment. I wasn’t focusing on the important bit, which was where would be the best place to have treatment.

Lengthy discussions took place with my sister, and thankfully she put her foot down and insisted that I go to The Christie. She explained all the reasons why and highlighted that it was a specialist cancer hospital and was not only the number one hospital in the North West, but the best in the country. I couldn’t really argue against that, so I agreed to go The Christie. 

It was the best decision I was ever to make. 

Upon walking through the doors of The Christie, it instantly feels welcoming and has a friendly feel that I’ve never experienced in any other hospital. 

All the professionals and staff always make you feel like an individual, they genuinely want to help you get better, and help make the journey as stress-free as possible. They are obviously aware that you are going through a traumatic time, and there is always someone to speak to or hold your hand (physically as well as metaphorically). 

I have a phobia of needles, and the very sight of one (and even talking about it at times) sends me white and wobbly! Apart from the obvious diagnosis, having to have treatment intravenously was my worst nightmare come true, not to mention all the blood tests required. They all involved a dreaded needle. It was just unthinkable, and I had no way of getting past how I would cope. 

On my first treatment day, I mentioned my phobia to the chemo team and they made a referral there and then to the complementary therapies team. Within about half an hour someone came to see me, and started talking me through some cognitive behavioural therapy techniques and ways to try to relax to cope with the forthcoming treatment. They were extremely helpful and patient with me, and although stress levels were still quite high, they had reduced somewhat by the time it came to chemo time. 

On the following treatment day, I was visited once again by the complementary therapies team, and again they talked me through some more relaxation techniques. This time they gave me an aromatherapy stick to sniff (a bit like a Vicks inhaler but with aromatherapy vapours) when I was feeling anxious, and explained how to associate this with pleasant experiences and happy times. This proved to be a successful technique and helped make the treatment a calmer experience for me.

The following few treatments I learnt to cope without help from staff, using the techniques I had been shown together with the aromatherapy stick. It was a genius invention but such a simple one too. As my treatments were coming to an end, I was just about managing my phobia. What started out as something I couldn’t even comprehend going through, ended up being something I could just about cope with, without passing out!! This is thanks to the wonderful help of the complementary therapies team. 

My penultimate treatment was on Christmas Eve. I had mixed feelings about coming in the day before Christmas. But actually, it turned out to be a really lovely day. The staff were very upbeat, with their Christmas hats on, and it was a positive place to be (as it always is). I remember being offered a foot massage that day, which I happily accepted, and treated it as a little Christmas present! This was another marvellous relaxation technique and I pretty much sailed through my chemo that day. Another one ticked off the list and without any dramas too. 

Christie charity fundraisers David and Esther

I can’t fault any of the staff at The Christie. All the nurses were brilliant with me. They were always very approachable and introduced themselves at all times. They had a great bedside manner, offered advice when needed and listened to me whenever I had any questions about my treatment. Most of all, they treated me like a normal human being, and not just a number. They would happily chat with me about everyday stuff, whilst carrying out their duties and looking after me.

Everyone at The Christie is fabulous, from the volunteers, to the porters, to the nurses, to the doctors and the administration staff. There is always a smile on a face and a helping hand whenever it’s needed. 

The Christie has never felt like a hospital to me. As many people have said before – it’s like a second home - and I will always be comfortable visiting the place. The corridors are filled with positivity, despite so much illness being around. 

It just goes to show that The Christie is a place that really does care, discover and teach.

I have never met someone who was as brave, and positive, and inspiring as Chris Hartley - Kirstie Binns

I have never met someone who was as brave, and positive, and inspiring as Chris Hartley

Kirstie and Chris

It's hard to explain the bond created when you meet a group of random strangers and decide to camp with them at a festival... and then continue that tradition every year after that. Each year the bond is stronger and the friendship grows... It's a beautiful thing really, to go from strangers to basically family, and the good times and memories will stay with you forever.

Unfortunately not every story can be smooth sailing...

This story is about a boy named Chris Hartley.

Chris joined our Download Festival family four years ago in June 2013, and although only meeting us for the first time, within a couple of hours he was one of us, and that weekend was one of our best. 

In  April  2014 Chris was diagnosed with osteosarcoma bone cancer, and started his treatment on 16th June. This was the week after Download 2014… Chris came to the Download festival and sang louder than ever before. We all made sure Chris had the best week to get him through his treatment.

Chris had surgery in September 2014 to remove a tumour from his humorous bone, and was fitted with a titanium replacement. Then he underwent a gruelling 20 weeks of chemotherapy which included being in hospital over the Christmas and New Year break.

Chris finished his chemotherapy at the beginning of February and was looking forward to finally getting his life back! Unfortunately an MRI scan at the end of February showed that there was a suspicious lesion in the soft tissue of the same arm as before. A biopsy confirmed the worst. Chris then had further surgery to remove this new tumour.

Finally thinking that our friend had won his battle, we started getting ready for Download 2015! Everyone was ecstatic that Chris would be able to attend in good health, and there was excitement in every text message sent.

Unfortunately with only two weeks to go we received another heart-breaking message from Chris. Once again the cancer was back in his arm. This time the doctor decided the best course of action was amputation of his right arm and shoulder blade.


Chris was given the option of the Tuesday before Download festival, or the Tuesday after... Being a rock 'n' roll hero, Chris came to Download and we partied harder than ever, and we really did have the best weekend of our lives, all of us together as one big family.

The surgery went well, and Chris was incredible throughout it all. He soon adapted to life without his arm, even smashing it on his videogames by using his chin! The support from his amazing family, his mum Sue, dad John, and sister Amy, and his devoted girlfriend, Hilary, made sure Chris kept a smile on his face.

In August 2015 we received yet another blow. With only two months since his last surgery, Chris was told his cancer had resurfaced underneath the scar from his previous surgery, in the soft tissue in his chest wall. A CT scan then revealed that the cancer had spread to his lungs. This time the doctor heartbreakingly informed Chris that it was a matter of slowing the cancer down, rather than curing it.
The decision was made that Chris’s treatment would continue, but this time at The Christie in Manchester. Chris was due to start a new course of chemotherapy on 21st September.

On Saturday 12th September, whilst on holiday, Chris’s right lung collapsed. Once home, Chris was taken to The Christie where he had a CT scan. This revealed an estimated 6 litres of fluid sat on his lung in his chest, which they started to drain, and left Chris with one working lung. On Monday 21st September Chris had to have a drain fitted for his left lung, as that had also started to fill with fluid.

On Wednesday 23rd September a few of us from his Download festival family went to The Christie to visit Chris. There was an arts and craft room led by a lovely woman. We got Chris out of his room and we all spent a few hours laughing, and joking and cutting and sticking. Unfortunately that evening Chris’s right lung collapsed again, and due to problems with his breathing, the decision was made to move him to the critical care unit.

On Saturday morning Chris was taken for keyhole surgery to try and relieve some of the pressure on his lungs. Once in surgery what was presumed to be fluid causing the difficulties for Chris, turned out to be a tumour. Chris was kept sedated and put on a ventilator to assist him with his breathing. Due to the discovery in surgery, and the extent of the tumours, Chris’s family were notified that he would not likely come round.

That night Chris’s mum Sue rang us, to tell us to all to get to The Christie, and spend some time saying what we wanted to say to Chris. Our Download family live all over the country… London, Carlisle, Northamptonshire, Manchester, Selby, Saltburn… but we all got in our cars and got to The Christie.

On Monday 28th September Chris passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his family and all his closest friends, listening to his rock playlist. We all got to spend time with Chris, and I cannot begin to explain our gratitude to his family for letting us be a part of it. They are our family as well now. Also a big thank you to the staff of The Christie for letting us be there all day, and explaining everything to us, we wouldn’t trade that day in for anything in the world.

Chris was an extremely intelligent, caring, funny, music loving rock n roll legend, and I am lucky to have amazing memories and the privilege of calling him one of my friends. I cannot put into words how amazing Chris was, especially how he dealt with everything… with a smile on his face. Even through all of his treatment he still managed to get a first class honours degree in Chemistry. All of us would say the same, we have never met someone who was as brave, and positive, and inspiring as Chris Hartley.

A person like Chris is not the kind of person you forget. The level of care and the efforts of the staff at The Christie are also not something you forget. Along with Chris’s family and the Download group I decided that his legacy must live on. The best way to remember Chris, and to say thank you to The Christie, was to start fundraising.

I started to email The Christie, everyone I spoke to was incredibly helpful, and there was no end of support for me. Chris’s mum Sue was also in contact with staff at The Christie, and they passed on information about a research project into osteosarcoma, which meant that the money we raised could go to that research through The Christie.

So first we planned an event, a Halloween party called creepy carnage. I decided to shave my head. We organised a venue, with live bands, a raffle, an auction and a buffet for over 100 people. Chris’s mum Sue shaved my head in Chris’s memory. The whole day was a success, I ended up bald, and we raised £5,535, with £2,990 of that going to The Christie.

This was the first of many fundraisers to come. Sue has held cake sales, and tombola’s, and has raffled off football tickets.

Sue also had T-shirts made with the details of how to text our JustGiving page, we’ve worn them to gigs and festivals and gained quite a few donations through them. We have worn them to all the gigs Chris had tickets for, so his smiling face was there with us at every time. Most importantly we wore them to Download festival 2016.

On the Sunday of that weekend, a band called Shinedown played and we as a family scattered his ashes at our meeting point at the main stage whilst they played a song two of us had performed at his funeral. We raised over £200 from the T-shirts alone that weekend, telling everyone who asked Chris’s story.

Later in the year we all signed up to do the Manchester half marathon. To look at us all you would laugh at the idea we could do a half marathon but nevertheless 17 of us signed up. We all trained hard and set up a JustGiving team page so all our efforts could be combined. Despite ending up stiff and sore from the run, all 17 of us crossed the finish line and we’ve raised over £6,300. Our total fundraising efforts are now over £15,500!

We now plan that every year there will be at least one big event, and as many little fundraising activities as we can manage. Chris’s legacy will live on, and we will keep on fundraising for The Christie. I know that there is nothing we can do that will bring Chris back, but knowing he’s laughing at us all from up there, with a smile on his face makes it feel like is he is with us, fundraising and still fighting cancer with us every step of the way.

To donate to The Christie please visit www.christies.org/donate.

In becoming a volunteer it felt like I'd turned a massive corner in my life - Shaun Dingsdale

Shaun Dingsdale, Christie volunteer, patient and fundraiser

Shaun Dingsdale

Last summer I started working as a volunteer in the May Draper tea bar at The Christie. My first day as an official volunteer was such a proud moment for me, and I feel the same way every time I turn up to do my voluntary work.

In becoming a volunteer it felt like I'd turned a massive corner in my life. Because it wasn’t so long ago that I’d been coming to The Christie for care and treatment, and was feeling like I was at rock bottom.

Now I was helping out in the tea bar and able to listen to and help the patients who were in the same position that I once was.

Six years earlier, back in 2010 at the age of 39, I had found a lump in my right groin which I thought was a hernia. After several appointments with different doctors I still didn’t know what the problem was. I was then sent for a biopsy at Leigh hospital and the results showed I had cancer.

I was told by the surgeon that the cancer I had was Hodgkins Lymphoma and that I’d need to go to The Christie to have treatment to get rid of it.

I came to The Christie in July 2010. My doctor, Professor Radford told me that I actually had Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, which is a lot worse and more aggressive than Hodgkins Lymphoma.

He also told me that if I hadn't come to The Christie to get this treated, then the cancer would have killed me within six months.

I was treated straight away with a combination of four chemotherapy drugs or ‘CHOP’ for short, and I had the option to take a trial chemotherapy called campath, which I did.

The chemotherapy did its job. But because Non Hodgkins Lymphoma is an aggressive cancer and there is a high chance of it coming back, I was told that it would be a good option to have a stem cell transplant to minimise the risk of the cancer coming back and to kill off any remaining cancer cells.

So in 2011 I had the stem cell transplant, where I spent 27 days in The Christie hospital for the treatment.

The stem cell transplant went really well, but it left me feeling very weak. It also left me not being able to keep any food or drink down whatsoever.

Because I couldn't keep anything down I lost a lot of weight. I went down to five and a half stone and was so weak that I was stuck in bed for around six months.

I wasn't able to do anything by myself. I couldn’t get to the bathroom because I’d lost all the strength in my legs. I couldn't dress myself. I couldn't even feed myself without the help of my wife and three kids.

Every single bit of energy had vanished from my body. To put weight back on I was told about a drink called 40sip, which would give me all the nutrients I’d need to start putting weight back on. Luckily those little drinks stayed down and I started to build my strength up.

My strength returned slowly. I was able to sit in a wheelchair and be pushed by my wife, just to get out and about and see the world again. 

My positive mental attitude then kicked in which made me want to get up and try to start walking. Learning how to walk again was really hard, but I did what I knew I'd have to do to reach that goal.

Once I had reached a half decent level of fitness I wanted to repay The Christie for saving my life. Just saying thank you in person to all the doctors and nurses I saw felt good, but to me that wasn't good enough. I wanted to show them how much I appreciated what they did for me.

So in 2015 I took part in two bike rides with my daughter to raise money for The Christie. Giving back was a good feeling, but I knew it was just the beginning and that my fundraising could be even bigger and better.

In 2016 I raised even more for The Christie. And even though The Christie was more than happy with what I’d achieved so far I still felt like I hadn't done enough. I still wanted to give something back that would make me feel on top of the world.

So I volunteered to do a bucket collection at a Christie event in Bolton, and that gave me the bug to do more voluntary work. That was when I was asked if I’d like to help in the May Draper tea bar at The Christie.

I felt so proud to be working there and it showed just how far I’d come since first being diagnosed with cancer.

Shaun in the tea bar

Becoming a volunteer is so rewarding. And The Christie makes a special effort to thank the voluntary workers, telling us how important our contribution is and how it helps the hospital. When I hear what all the many volunteers have achieved, it makes me feel good and proud of my efforts. Trust me - this is a feeling that's on a par with being told you are cancer free!

I can't thank The Christie enough for what they've done for me, but one thing I do know is that as long as I’m still around, The Christie will always have a willing volunteer and fundraiser.

I can't wait to get stuck into fundraising in 2017 and will hopefully raise even more than last year. When I stand at the top of Snowdon in June this year I'm going to dedicate it to my family and to everyone who works at The Christie for getting me where I am today.

I just want finish by saying a massive thank you to The Christie for saving my life and for letting me do what I do for them. I support The Christie in any way I can including supporting their campaigns. I’m proud to be supporting the #ididitforthechristie campaign and urge everyone to ask their friends, family and colleagues “What will you do for The Christie this year?” 

All volunteers go through a robust recruitment, selection and screening process and the Trust ensures they are well placed, inducted, trained and supported throughout their volunteering. For further information please visit www.christie.nhs.uk/professionals/work-with-us/volunteers 

There are lots of ways to raise funds for The Christie, whether it be at work, with friends, on your own or in a group - every penny you raise makes a difference for our patients. Please visit www.christie.nhs.uk/the-christie-charity/get-involved/fundraise/ for further information.