Cancer Research Donation

Alexandra Stables, shop manager of Cancer Research UK visited school on Thursday 26th June to receive a cheque for £380 raised by two of our year 8 pupils: Michael Saggerson and Matthew Langston. Mrs Stables spoke the following words to thank them:

‘I have been asked to come along to Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School this morning to accept a cheque on behalf of Cancer Research UK for the amount of £380.

Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest independent organisation dedicated to cancer research. We are committed to curing cancer by understanding its causes and investigating how best to prevent and treat it. We also fund research aimed to providing the best possible support and information to cancer patients and their families.

We fund the research for over 3000 scientists, doctors and nurses based throughout the UK. The charity supports research in more than 30 cities and 80 leading academic centres in the UK. From the year 2002 to 2003 our total research spend was £176 million pounds. Cancer Research UK is the leading founder of cancer research in universities, institutes and medical schools throughout the UK.

We are the single biggest supporter of UK research into children’s cancer and we are the major founder of breast cancer research. This year alone, more than £15 million pounds has been spent on research into breast cancer. Cancer Research UK only funds research of the highest quality.

We receive virtually no funding from the government. The charity has a network of around 700 shops and 1000 committees and groups organising community events.

Over 30,000 volunteers give their time freely to support Cancer Research UK. Nearly a million people regularly donate to our charity.

There are over 200 different types of cancer – the most common ones are skin, lung, breast, bowel and prostate. Around 260,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed each year. Cancer is the biggest killer of the under 75s in the UK.

With the kind help of people such as two special boys amongst us today we will eventually find a cure.

Over 100,000 people are successfully treated for cancer each year. Deaths are falling due to screening, early treatment and crucial research.

Anyway, all that aside, I have to say a very big thank you today to two year 8 boys; Michael Saggerson and Matthew Langston, who I believe have done a sponsored silence in aid of our charity.

Michael very sadly lost his dad to cancer and wanted to do something special in his memory. I am sure you’ll all agree that he has succeeded in this by raising £380 for Cancer Research. I am sure his dad would be very proud of him and his friend.

The donation I have received today will go towards trying to find a cure for cancer, which sadly touches all our lives at one time or other.’