Scientist leads team in million-dollar project

A scientist from Washington is to benefit from a new million-dollar research project into childhood cancer.

Dr Martin McCabe, 49, a former pupil at St Robert of Newminster RC School in Washington, is leading a team of scientists in Manchester which will research the long-term side effects of radiotherapy on children with brain tumours.

More than 70% of children with brain tumours survive in the long term, often thanks to radiotherapy, but it can also result in short and long-term side effects as healthy tissue is affected by the radiation.

Nearly $1 m–ap pr ox £750,000 – has been awarded to a transatlantic team of scientists, including Dr McCabe and other researchers from The University of Manchester, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Manchester Children’s

Hospital, to research the long-term side effects of radiotherapy on children.

The cash is being provided by Stand Up To Cancer in the US and Cancer Research UK.

Dr McCabe, who went on to study at University of Cambridge, said: “I went into medicine having seen what a difference good doctors could make to people’s lives. I was subsequently inspired to go into children’s cancer and then cancer research when I saw how much there was still to do to improve the treatments we give.

“It’s great news that we have been awarded this funding and we can continue making progress .”

Lisa Millett, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North East, said: “This funding award is fantastic recognition of world-leading research that is being done”