Patient stories

Abi Sherratt, 27, was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer in February 2025. With her treatment now behind her, she is preparing to run the London Marathon on 26 April. In doing so, she wants to prove to herself that she is still capable of taking on tough challenges following her diagnosis, while raising funds for our vital research.

Emily Webster, 32, was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the appendix in 2021. Fortunately, it was caught early and following successful surgery, she now has no evidence of disease. In April, she will be running the London Marathon in memory of her father-in-law, Bryan, a keen runner who died of cancer in 2023.

After both her parents died of cancer, Verity Mutch, 69, says we need to find kinder ways to treat the disease. That is why she has pledged to leave a gift in her Will to fund our groundbreaking research.

Kaiya Patel was five years old when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in March 2018. She passed away ten months later at the age of six. Since then, Kaiya’s mum Annu and her dad Ruchit, have set up The Kaiya Foundation in their daughter’s memory and are supporting our vital research into high-risk leukaemia. Here, Annu shares their story.

Rhonda Ryan, 57, was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in 2019. Two years later, she was told her cancer had spread to her liver and was incurable. An experienced investment professional, Rhonda is now calling on her industry contacts to support our vital research, hoping to raise £1.8m over six years and make a real difference for the next generation of cancer patients.

Peter Laing was diagnosed in November 2024, with stage 2/3b high-risk prostate cancer. Now retired, his former career in the biotech industry has helped to inform decisions about his treatment, which has included abiraterone, a drug that was discovered and developed by our scientists. Over a year on from his diagnosis, he reflects on what he describes as a ‘rollercoaster journey’.

Giles Turner, 65, was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in March 2023. Following treatment – including private treatment with the drug abiraterone – he is now in remission. He has since been campaigning to have abiraterone, which was discovered and developed by the ICR, made available on the NHS in England and Northern Ireland, in line with existing policy in Scotland and Wales.

In April 2019, I went on a journey - not one I expected to go on or even particularly wanted to go on, despite being an enthusiastic traveller. But in life we are often taken down unexpected paths.