Heather hails her lifesaving heroes
An inspirational woman who faces surgery for brain cancer just days before Christmas has thanked fundraisers for the lifesaving impact they are making.
Heather Du f f (33) of Winchburgh will undergo the nine- hour procedure called a craniotomy at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, on Monday.
It will be the third brain surgery for Heather who was guest of honour at an event in Glasgow hosted by broadcaster Cat Cubie to mark the partnership between ScottishPower and Cancer Research UK.
ScottishPower has raised over £25million for Cancer Research UK through a variety of initiatives and events including sponsorship of Race for Life, Stand Up To Cancer, employee and supplier fundraising, as well as creating a bespoke, Help Beat Cancer energy tariff.
Heather said: “I hope that one day we will understand more about brain cancer and this will empower scientists and doctors with the knowledge they need to find a cure that will benefit people from all over the world.
“I’d like to thank all at ScottishPower who work relentlessly to raise funds which allows research to continue. Research to help bring forward the day when all cancers are cured is what gives my family, my friends and me the hope we need.”
Heather, who is a fundraising manager for Cancer Research UK ,was successfully treated for cervical cancer aged 27 but in May 2018 was diagnosed with brain cancer.
She lives with her husband Gordon, 38, and pet dogs Parsnip and Pumpkin.
Heather has also reached out to other people with cancer through her blog, www.fucancer.co.uk
Every hour, around four people in Scotland hear the news that they have cancer.
But cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.
ScottishPower launched its partnership with Cancer Research UK in 2012.
Heather Smyth, head of marketing communications at ScottishPower said: “We’re delighted to support Cancer Research UK and it’s been a privilege to hear from Heather today.
“In 2012, we began our partnership with Cancer Research UK and since then have been proud to support their life-saving work.
“Over the years our employees have taken part in sponsored runs, Pretty Muddy events and have been passionate about raising money for an important cause.”
Groundbreaking scientists Professor Steven Pollard and Professor Andrew Biankin who are both based in Scotland were headline speakers at the event hosted by ScottishPower.
Prof Pollard and a team from the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh
Centre were awarded £5.8 million from Cancer Research UK to find new ways to treat brain tumours.
He leads a team of scientists from the UK, the US and Canada carrying out pioneering research in glioblastoma – a fast growing type of brain cancer.
Their goal is to uncover new drug targets and strategies that could prevent brain tumours from returning.
Prof Pollard said: “Treating brain tumours remains a real challenge. They take the lives of far too many people each year.”
Every year in Scotland around 1000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours and around 470 people in Scotland die from brain tumours every year.
The audience also heard from
Professor Biankin who leads PRECISION- Panc, a project which Cancer Research UK is investing £10 million in to develop personalised treatment and improve survival for pancreatic cancer- one of the hardest cancers to treat.
Professor Biankin said: “Pancreatic cancer is an inherently aggressive disease and it’s often diagnosed late, which puts it a step ahead of us when we come to treat it.
“We need to be more ambitious and hit the disease hard and fast with new approaches.
“We need to diagnose these cancers swiftly so patients can get on to clinical trials which may help them. ”
Last year Cancer Research spent around £38million in Scotland on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.
Glasgow is home to the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute where scientists are exploring how cancer cells grow, survive and spread.
Caro Evans, director of partnerships at Cancer Research UK said: “We are so grateful to ScottishPower who have raised over £25million.
“Thanks to their Help Beat Cancer energy tariff and incredible employee and supplier fundraising, ScottishPower has shown absolute dedication to the partnership over the past seven years and they should feel immensely proud of this achievement.”
Treating brain tumours remains a real challenge – they take the lives of far too many people