Staff from the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff are gearing up to tackle a gruelling cycling challenge to raise money for Cure Leukaemia.
Cardiff Haematology Trials Unit Manager Emma Williams and Consultant Haematologist Dr Ceri Jones will be taking on Cure Leukaemia’s London To Paris cycle to support the charity’s work in Wales.
Money raised will be invested in the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) which has been solely funded by Cure Leukaemia – the UK Charity partner of the Tour de France since January 2020. You can get more Cardiff news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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The TAP Network is a network of specialist research nurses at 12 blood cancer centres located in the UK’s biggest cities and a facilitatory hub based at the Centre for Clinical Haematology in Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
The Cardiff-based hospital is one of the twelve centres, also including Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Oxford, Southampton and two in London.
This network enables accelerated setup and delivery of potentially life-saving blood cancer clinical trials to run, giving patients from a UK catchment area of over 20 million people access to treatments not currently available through standard care.
Emma said: “We’re doing this to raise awareness of leukaemia and the ongoing need to fund improvement in treatment and this is a great way of doing that.
“We both work with leukaemia patients on a daily basis and are committed to doing everything we can to improve the outcomes for all these patients as much as possible. We already feel that research and trials are already making a big difference in this field, and we want to support this going forward.
“I think we both feel privileged to have a chance to raise money for this amazing cause as we know what a difference the charity makes in treatment for these patients.”
Ceri has been putting in the hard miles ahead of the challenge:
“I started training in earnest in December 2022 and I’m looking forward to the weather getting better so that I can get some miles in outside as well as on the turbo trainer.
“I’m feeling determined to make sure that I’m as fit as possible so that it’s an enjoyable rather than painful journey to Paris!
Emma also has a second personal reason for taking on this challenge, on top of helping to raise funds for vital treatments.
“My son struggles with fitting in due to his Asperger's and finding people to understand his areas of specialised interests. By taking part in this, I am trying to teach him and my daughter to realise that you can put your mind to anything if you feel passionate about something. Those interests should be a blessing not a curse!
“I am also keen to ride it to show how if you have a passion for something then you can achieve anything that you put your mind to!”
Emma’s friend Carol had lymphoma and unfortunately succumbed to the disease in June 2021.
She added: “Had she been fitter, she may well have been eligible for CAR-T therapy (a type of immunotherapy which involves collecting and using the patients’ own immune cells to treat their condition) that comes with the potential of a cure. As Researchers we are here to look for better treatments and in doing so offer better treatment options to our patients, aiming one day for a cure.”
The TAP network has been funded by Cure Leukaemia since 2020 and costs over £1million per year to maintain.
This network enables accelerated setup and delivery of potentially life-saving blood cancer clinical trials to run, giving patients from a UK catchment area of over 20 million people access to treatments not currently available through standard care.
Each cyclist taking part in Cure Leukaemia’s London 2 Paris have a minimum fundraising total of £1,500 each.
You can help support Emma and Ceri’s fundraising by donating online here.
For more information about Cure Leukaemia go to: www.cureleukaemia.co.uk
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