Yorkshire Cancer Research highlights more moments together

Yorkshire Cancer Research highlights more moments together content

A man and a woman embracing. They are both wearing woolly hats, coats and scarves. In the background you can see Whitby castle.

A man and woman hugging. It is their wedding day. The woman has her back to the camera but you can see the man's face, he is smiling with his eyes shut.

A man and woman in a garden. It is sunny outside and there's yellow flowers and a green bush between them. The man has gardening gloves on and is smiling at the camera.

Regional cancer charity Yorkshire Cancer Research has launched its new campaign More Moments Together to highlight the moments made possible thanks to pioneering cancer research trials in Yorkshire.

The campaign includes a new TV advert featuring Rob, who represents the real-life experiences of people across Yorkshire who have had their lives saved and extended by participating in innovative clinical trials and research funded by the charity.

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Bill Hall, a doctor from York was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in January 2024. With a nearly 50-year medical career under his belt, Bill understood the importance of taking part in clinical trials. He signed up to FOxTROT 3, a pioneering bowel cancer trial, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and led by researchers at the University of Leeds and the University of Birmingham. The trial was conducted at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Quote from Bill Hall

In my case, I was given two options – standard or research-based cancer treatment. I was always going to choose the research. By participating in clinical trials, you are helping people with cancer who come after you."

Bill stood in front of a vast hilly landscape with bright blue skies and green vegetation. He is wearing a hat and large backpack.

People taking part in FOxTROT 3 are offered a short course of chemotherapy before surgery in addition to the standard treatment for bowel cancer to have surgery and chemotherapy afterwards.

Bill said: “The chemotherapy before my surgery made the tumour much smaller and the surrounding tissue easier to remove. As a result, the procedure was done through keyhole surgery, assisted by a robot, leaving minimal damage and no complications.”

“The post-surgery chemotherapy was very successful, and I was surprised at how quickly I was able to focus on getting back to normal life.”

Bill is now having six-monthly appointments to hopefully confirm the cancer has not returned. Since his treatment, Bill has been attending spinning classes, playing guitar and settling into his new flat in York with his wife. He is also looking forward to getting back to his role as a locum doctor and continuing his passion to support people with their health.

In Leeds, retired milkman David Sutcliffe also benefitted from taking part in a cancer research trial.

David never expected to have lung cancer when he accepted the invite to take part in the Leeds Lung Health Check, an innovative mobile lung cancer screening programme, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and delivered in partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Following a CT scan of his lungs, David was fast-tracked for a consultation after a small nodule was detected in his lung. Here he was given two options.

Quote from David Sutcliffe

I could either wait a year to see how the nodule developed, or have it removed along with a small section of my lung via keyhole surgery. The latter option seemed like the safest bet, and my surgeon agreed. That decision could have saved my life."

Two months later, David had the surgery to remove the nodule which had in fact been stage one lung cancer. Thankfully, the surgery had been a success and David was cancer-free. 

He is now happily retired and back to hiking, cycling, golfing and fishing, but his favourite hobby of all is spending time with his young grandchildren.

David walking with his young granddaughter holding her hand facing away from the camera. They are walking in a park and a river is visible behind a fence to the right of them. It is a sunny day and there is lots of greenery.

Quote from David Sutcliffe

Thanks to my cancer screening, I was there for my granddaughter’s first day of school and got to drop her off in her new uniform. My 1-year-old grandson is teething and crawling around, and I hope to witness his first steps soon!

Jenifer Perin, from Otley, was the first woman to take part in the Yorkshire Kidney Screening Trial, which investigated whether an additional abdominal scan for kidney cancer could be introduced to mobile lung screening programmes like the Leeds Lung Health Check. 

The additional CT scan detected a growth in Jenifer’s abdomen and following further investigations, she was diagnosed with stage 1 kidney cancer.  

Jenifer is stood in her garden, she is wearing a black top and a grey scarf. The sky is blue and in the background there's green grass and hills in the distance.

Quote from Jenifer Perin

When they said I had kidney cancer, I was so shocked because I didn’t have any symptoms at all.  All I kept thinking was how lucky I was to have a scan, as it could have gone undetected for months, or even years!

As the tumour in Jenifer’s kidney was detected early, she was able to have a histotripsy, a type of non-invasive surgery. Jenifer had the surgery in May 2023, and a week later, was back to feeling fit and healthy. In October 2023, she was given the all-clear. 

“I feel so lucky to have taken part in a screening trial that may have saved my life. I hope my experience shows others the importance of funding cancer research, and that more people are inspired to take part in screening trials.” 

Talking about life after cancer treatment, Jenifer said: “I’m back to doing all the things I love in life. My biggest hobby is line-dancing, which I’ve been doing with my friends nearly every week for over 15 years! However, nothing beats spending time with my two sons and five grandchildren. One of my grandsons got married last year. It’s moments like that that make me feel so grateful to be here.” 

Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research said: “The experiences of Bill, David and Jenifer are why Yorkshire Cancer Research exists, so more people live longer, healthier, cancer-free lives. Yorkshire Cancer Research is committed to finding new cancer cures and bringing them to people in Yorkshire. Thanks to supporters, 175,000 people can take part in life-saving cancer research and pioneering new services funded by the charity. Yorkshire Cancer Research’s mission is for everyone in our region to have access to the cancer trials, treatments and cures they need. Let’s unite for a Yorkshire free from cancer.”

Find out more about the More Moments Together campaign