Patient stories

Camilla Keeling was a month away from celebrating her 61st birthday when she was diagnosed with skin cancer. After having it removed, she thought she was in the clear but not long after, she found out it had spread to her lungs, and later, her brain and bowel. She is now receiving immunotherapy which has seen her tumours shrink and given her renewed hope. Here is her story.

On his daughter’s second birthday in 2009, John Dabell was diagnosed with advanced head and neck cancer. He went through extensive surgery and treatment and was on the road to recovery when he was diagnosed with cancer again – this time, a tumour in his throat. John was told he didn’t have long to live. But then he started immunotherapy. Here, he talks about its incredible impact and the opportunity it’s given him to spend more time with his wife and daughter.

Daniel Davidson’s mum, Amanda Hood, died of cancer during the pandemic, just months after her diagnosis. Now to celebrate her life, he is running the 2023 London Marathon as part of #teamICR. Here Daniel explains why, despite the challenges of working on an oil rig in the North Sea and not being a keen runner, he is determined to take on this gruelling race to raise vital funds for our research.

Susanna Stephenson was diagnosed with breast cancer just three days before her 42nd birthday in 2014. Following treatment, the mum of two has now recovered and is part of our amazing #teamICR runners taking on the 2023 London Marathon.

When Sue Vincent learned in 2010 that her ovarian cancer had spread to three different parts of her body and was inoperable, she resigned herself to having only months to live. But then she was offered a place on a clinical trial for a pioneering drug called olaparib, the discovery and development of which was underpinned by our research. 12 years on, Sue is still taking olaparib, and explains how the work of our scientists has given her a quality of life she could only have dreamed about.

The Ollie Young Foundation, which supports our world-leading research into childhood brain tumours, was set up in memory of Ollie, who died one day before his sixth birthday. Ollie’s mum, Sarah, tells us their story.

Mike Shaw tells us about the charity Abbie’s Fund, which supports our research into childhood cancer, and about the girl who inspired it all: Abbie Shaw.

During Sarcoma Awareness Month, Janine tells us about her son, Harry, and why raising awareness of rarer cancers is so important.

Alison, 61, was diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer in 2018. After four years of treatment on a combination therapy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, she has no cancer on her scans.

Gerry was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000. During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, he tells us what research has brought him.

Nurse consultant Surinder tells us how her experience of cancer changed the way she cares for patients.

Jo Williams and her husband set up the charity Lucas’ Legacy after losing their son, Lucas, to a brain tumour when he was nearly seven years old. Their support has helped fund our life-changing research into childhood brain tumours. Jo shares their story.

Danny lost his mum to secondary breast cancer when he was just seven years old. He tells us how he found a community who are helping to fight the disease.

Kate Parker was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer just before her 30th birthday. She tells us what more treatment options mean for her.

Hilary Morgan kindly shared the story of her husband, Tim, to support our bowel cancer fundraising appeal. Tim was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer at the age of 43. Here, Hilary tells us more about how pioneering treatments gave him a chance to live.

Sue’s husband, Philip, was entered onto a clinical trial for abiraterone when his prostate cancer developed resistance to the treatment he was on. She tells us what a difference it made to their lives.

After both he and his sister were diagnosed with breast cancer, Tony Herbert decided to undergo genetic testing to see if he had a BRCA mutation. Here he talks about how the result may have saved his life.