I'm proud to be one of the 70 members of staff from The Christie running to celebrate 70 years of the NHS - Eve Lightfoot

Eve Lightfoot, director of workforce

I've been a runner nearly all my life; I love the feeling of being outside in the fresh air blowing away the cobwebs. For someone who is always cold running when it's freezing outside is the best!


I've been a runner nearly all my life; I love the feeling of being outside in the fresh air blowing away the cobwebs. For someone who is always cold running when it's freezing outside is the best!

You will find me pounding the pavements in Didsbury every morning at 6am, except for at the weekend when it's more like 8am. It’s my space for thinking and putting the world to rights.

I've worked at The Christie for almost 10 years and first completed the Great Manchester Run for The Christie charity, five years ago. In the same year, I jumped out of a plane for the charity too.

The last 10k I did was a challenge with my partner Ian who I feel proud to say, with relentless encouragement and motivation from me, made it over the line. He was not best pleased however as we ran all the way together until we got to the end of the line, then my competitive streak got the better of me and I crossed the line first. I've never lived it down since.

So I'm here again about to run The Great Manchester Run for The Christie and to also celebrate 70 years of the NHS.

So, you may be thinking why, when I run every day anyway? I run every day but my 10k days are behind me these days. I tend to run shorter distances but I decided I wanted to challenge myself.

Secondly, I like to raise money for The Christie charity as my way of giving back to the organisation.
I absolutely love my job as director of workforce at The Christie. For someone who has a hospital phobia I never thought I would work in one and now I can't imagine working anywhere else. It's such a warm, friendly, positive uplifting place that gives hope to so many people.  When I walk through the corridor every day I feel really proud to be part of such a special place that makes such a difference to peoples’ lives. I'm lucky to have lots of opportunities to meet and talk to patients listening to the most amazing feedback about the care they receive from our staff.

I sit in many meetings and attend various events where we talk about the money our fundraisers raise for The Christie.  I've seen so many fabulous developments and services established as a result of charitable funding for our patients. Every time I see people on the street with a bucket or a Christie box on a shop counter I feel proud and want to play my part which is why I am running the Great Manchester Run.

I'm not brave enough these days to jump out of a plane or take part in any other daredevil event so when I saw a poster advertising the event I thought that's me, a personal challenge and an event to raise money. Then I noticed that this year’s event for The Christie was being linked to the celebration of 70 years of the NHS with the aim of recruiting 70 staff members to run. Well, I didn't need asking twice, this sealed it for me.

As the director of workforce, I wanted to lead by example and encourage others to take part. What more of a feel good factor could there be than to raise money whilst keeping fit and healthy. The run is a great opportunity to plug The Christie’s wellbeing agenda too.

It was way back before Christmas when I quietly signed myself up and now my secret is out and I find myself writing the blog and becoming a poster girl.

I hope this has helped any readers get motivated to do the run for The Christie. I will now focus on the task of actively recruiting fellow colleagues and start my training.  I’ll also purchase a pair of new trainers. I don't need an excuse to go shopping but a new pair of trainers always makes me train better!

If you are a member of Christie staff who wants to join Eve on the staff 70 for 70 team or, if you are a member of the public who wants to sign up for Team Christie then please email gmr@christie.nhs.uk.

We have a fantastic smoking cessation service - Hannan Hussain

Hannan Hussain, Christie radiographer

Hannan Hussain

I am a newly qualified therapeutic radiographer who was fortunate to train at The Christie. As a student radiographer I had come across a number of patients smelling of cigarette smoke, however, I lacked the confidence to approach them and was unsure of what support I could provide or signpost them to.

As part of the student training programme, I had the opportunity to shadow different healthcare professionals as they went about their work. This inter-professional learning experience is designed to help students understand the different roles within healthcare and to learn about the benefits of collaboration.

During my second year of training, I had the opportunity to shadow Charlotte Finchett, the lead health promotion advisor at The Christie. Charlotte’s role involves supporting patients to make lifestyle changes to improve their treatment and recovery.

In the time I spent working with Charlotte I observed how she provided individualised care and attention to each patient and their families. Working with Charlotte gave me insight into the intervention techniques to empower and engage smokers to reduce and give up smoking.

Charlotte helped me gain the confidence to refer my patients to her and explain to patients how this type of support has helped other patients reduce their smoking or even stop altogether.

As a non-smoker, I had often wondered why some patients continue to smoke after their cancer diagnosis.

It is well established academically that radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients is less efficient for those who continue to smoke tobacco, and that patients who continue to smoke also experience worse side effects from treatment and have a poorer overall quality of life after their treatment is complete.

At the end of my second year of training, the deadline for my dissertation proposal was looming. Having worked with Charlotte I thought it would be interesting to look more closely at why cancer patients continue to smoke. It was a topical issue with the potential to improve patient care. I wanted to ask the question: ‘Are we doing enough to help patients quit smoking?’

I contacted Charlotte in my third year so I could discuss the ideas I had for my dissertation. On the afternoon I met Charlotte she was working with Dr Andrew Sykes at his clinic. For a second time, I witnessed care that was tailored to the individual with options such as relaxation techniques, nicotine replacement and even relapse techniques.

I had the opportunity to discuss with Dr Sykes and Charlotte the common barriers to smoking cessation and the importance of having a key contact to refer patients to for support.

The title of my dissertation was ‘Why do cancer patients continue to smoke and what are the arising issues in delivering smoking intervention: a therapeutic radiographer perspective’.

I looked at the risk factors for continued smoking amongst cancer patients such as cancer type, socio-economic demographics, mental health issues and other factors.

After entering my dissertation into the Imaging and Therapy Practice student competition last summer, I was awarded joint first place and my article was published in Synergy magazine (a key radiotherapy publication). I was also invited to present a poster version of my dissertation at the annual radiotherapy conference in January 2018.

Healthcare professionals have a responsibility to promote good health and wellbeing, whether they are related to treatment side effects or to generally adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Working with Charlotte and studying the issue of smoking cessation has given me the self-belief and enthusiasm as an allied healthcare professional in a hospital environment to work hard to improve patient care, to support patients holistically in making healthier choices and to raise awareness about smoking cessation and other important public health issues.

As a newly qualified radiographer who trained at The Christie, I can proudly say that we have a fantastic smoking cessation referral service to help patients stop smoking.

I am now working on a study with Laura Charlesworth, a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, and Daniel Hutton, the change manager at Clatterbridge hospital. The study is funded by a College of Radiographers industrial partnership grant and aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the barriers and facilitators to the delivery of smoking cessation interventions within radiotherapy practice.

It was National No Smoking Day on 16 March. If you want to give up smoking please visit www.nhs.uk/smokefree or if you are a patient or carer at The Christie please email Charlotte Finchett for advice and support.

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 can’t wait for the day when I forget I ever smoked and hope my story inspires other to give up as their New Year’s resolution - Henry ‘H’ Pridding

Henry ‘H’ Pridding - Christie patient

Lots of people who smoke or drink too much will have decided to give up or cut down as a New Year resolution. By sharing my own experiences I hope that it will give others some encouragement to make their resolution stick. If my story inspires even one person to stop smoking that would be great.

I recently completed 30 rounds of head and neck radiotherapy following an operation to my tongue to remove cancer. It was a huge wakeup call and made me realise that I needed to give up smoking, for myself but also for my amazing wife Tina and our five children.

With the help of the smoking cessation team at The Christie – big shout out to Charlotte and Peter – I managed to kick a lifelong smoking habit in October this year. It’s not been easy and I’ve had to be determined but I have succeeded.

I started smoking and drinking over 50 years ago as a teenager. By the time I was in my 30s I began to realise that my drinking was becoming a problem. When I met Tina, I realised that I wanted to turn things around. Through my love for Tina, who was to become my wife, I managed to stop drinking 28 years ago.

When I stopped drinking I had a thought in my head. If I do it for Tina everybody will benefit, and they did. The whole family benefitted. We could afford to buy things for the kids and I could provide more for my family. Respecting and helping other people is very important to me and being able to respect my family was the thing that helped me to become free from the drink.

Unfortunately, giving up smoking took a lot longer, 28 years longer in fact!

When I had my final cigarette I looked at it and simply decided ‘No more’. Since that moment I have not touched another roll-up and can’t wait for the day when I forget I ever smoked, or even forget the date I stopped because it’s no longer of any importance.

When I’m having a bad day or feeling stressed I take a moment to notice what’s winding me up and causing me to feel that way and then instead of reaching for a cig I’ll do something really straightforward that helps me – I’ll make a cup of tea, or have a chat with Tina or make someone laugh. I have a wicked sense of humour and love nothing more than to make people smile, especially Tina.

I’m an old romantic at heart and I wear my heart on my sleeve. I even have a tattoo of a cup of tea on my arm. It is there for my special Tina.

I don’t allow smoking to occupy my thoughts.

A teacher at school told me there is no such thing as no. As an adult, I now realise if I want to do something, no matter what it is, I can. As far as I’m concerned there is no such thing as can’t!

There have been many times in my life where I’ve thought ‘I can’t do it’ and then surprised myself with what I can achieve. I believe that actions speak louder than words and if you believe your fears or doubts then nothing ever changes.

I believe that something good can come from anything. Since being diagnosed with cancer my daughters, who have witnessed my illness and pain, have both stopped smoking.

With the help of everyone at The Christie, the doctors, nurses, smoking cessation team and radiographers, I’ve been able to quit smoking. To use a Manchester adage, ‘Nice one’!

To find out more about smoking and alcohol cessation services at The Christie please visit www.christie.nhs.uk/services/a-to-h/complementary-therapy/what-we-do/treatments-we-offer/smoking-cessation-and-alcohol-advice-services/

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.

To know that my blood donation could help someone during their cancer treatment made me feel really happy - Louise Fennell

Louise Fennell, NHS blood donor

Louise Fennell

I'd wanted to be a blood donor for many years. I first tried to give blood when I was at university, though I wasn't able to donate due to my iron levels at the time (and possibly, like many students, a diet of slightly more alcohol than asparagus contributed towards that!).

Then, after uni, I was focused on setting up two businesses - one teaching cheerleading, the other teaching Pilates - and soon I was busy running classes all over Stockport, with very little free time left.

I was aware that blood donation sessions were held in various venues in Stockport, though the days and times didn't suit my schedules.   

Just before Christmas in 2015 I gave my first donation at Plymouth Grove donor centre in Manchester. I wasn't nervous about donating, but if you are, then it's a great place to go - the staff are all really friendly. Everyone was in Christmas jumpers at the time actually and it didn't feel at all clinical.

Everything went really smoothly with the donation - my boyfriend and I had a race to see who could donate the quickest actually (I won!) - and I remember the nice, warm feeling of walking out of the centre around 45 minutes later, knowing that my donation could help to save lives. Oh, and as a chocoholic, it was a bonus getting some free chocolate before leaving too! 

I was also excited to find out my blood group around a week later when a key ring arrived in the post. I'm O positive, which means my donations can go to anyone with a positive blood group. 

There's a system now too where you get a text message informing you which hospital your donation has been issued to. Not long after donating I heard that mine had been sent to The Christie. I was so pleased!

I've known many people that have been treated at The Christie and everyone has always spoken highly about the quality of care at the hospital. Everyone knows somebody that has been affected by cancer and we're very lucky to have a world-leading hospital in Manchester, with so many experts making a difference on a daily basis. 

To know that my blood donation could help someone during their cancer treatment made me feel really happy. I hope it made a difference to their quality of life at that stage of their illness, even if it just helped them walk down the corridor that day, instead of stay in bed.

Since my first donation, my mum has also needed to receive blood during a short hospital stay, which has strengthened my determination to keep donating. Someone, somewhere spent 45 minutes of their time to give those donations and it makes me feel proud that I'm now a regular at the donor centre. And I'm yet to be beaten by my boyfriend in the donation races either!

To find out more about giving blood and to find a donation centre near your home or work please visit www.blood.co.uk

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