29 Oct

Steeper and Bone Cancer Research Trust Unite to Fight Bone Cancer

Steeper and Bone Cancer Research Trust Unite to Fight Bone Cancer Steeper and Bone Cancer Research Trust Unite to Fight Bone Cancer Steeper and Bone Cancer Research Trust Unite to Fight Bone Cancer
 
Members of our Innovation Forum compiled a shortlist of three charities that were then invited to present in front of our Operations Board. Director of Clinical Services and Operations Board member, Andrew Nicol commented, "The presentation delivered by Bone Cancer Research Trust left a profound impression on our team. The high-quality information they provide to patients, coupled with the opportunities for our team members to engage, made their organisation an obvious choice for us.  We are already working side by side supporting amputees affected by bone cancer, this just adds another dimension to our relationship. We look forward to enhancing our partnership and supporting their initiatives from a charitable standpoint, ultimately benefiting our patients."

When NHS statistics state that 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime, it's a hard statistic to ignore. And, whilst primary bone cancer is rare in the UK, with 550 new cases diagnosed every year, the journey to recovery can often result in amputation of the affected bone and limb. Our very own clinicians and support staff have witnessed the emotional and physical toll these patients experience, so supporting the Bone Cancer Research Trust in its mission to save lives and improve outcomes for people affected by primary bone cancer through research, information, awareness and support was a no-brainer for us. 

In 2004, a group of families who had lost children and young people to primary bone cancer came together. They wanted to address the lack of accessible bone cancer information and insufficient funding for research into this disease. Determined not to accept the status quo, the families pooled funds they had already raised, and together with guidance from Professor Ian Lewis (Consultant Paediatrician and Adolescent Oncologist at St James's University Hospital, Leeds) the Bone Cancer Research Trust was registered in 2006. 

Today, the Bone Cancer Research Trust aims to fund research into all forms of primary bone cancer and ensure that information and support are available to patients of all ages. Patients like Jade Crabtree, who you may recognise from a previous Steeper case study

When Jade was just 19 years old, she was troubled by a lump in her lower leg that would eventually be diagnosed as bone cancer, ultimately leading to the transfemoral amputation of her left leg. When describing her experience, Jade said, "I had a lump below my knee that I noticed when I was in work, it was really hurting me. One particular doctor looked at it and was just like, no, there's something wrong. He said you really need to go to the Hospital tomorrow. So I did. On that same day, they told me it was definitely bone cancer. I got a prosthetic leg a year later." 

The Bone Cancer Research Trust not only provides educational resources to patients like Jade as they navigate their individual cancer journeys, they also invest in vital research projects, committing £4 million in the last 2 years alone and awarding 45 research grants to support early career researchers. Research funded by the Bone Cancer Research Trust has resulted in 111 scientific publications which have been cited in the scientific literature 3910 times demonstrating the relevance of the findings and importance of the funding. 

By partnering with the Bone Cancer Research Trust, our employees will have the opportunity to volunteer with the charity and participate in adrenaline-fueled events and challenges all in aid of finding a cure. Our Charity Marker's Market is returning for Christmas and will be our first fundraising event supporting the Trust. We're looking forward to supporting a charitable cause that operates so close to our own company mission and helping in their efforts to find a cure. 

About the Bone Cancer Research Trust