Cash boost for Blackpool and Preston-led cancer research project

An award of £750 has been given to Rosemere Cancer Foundation for its Lancashire and South Cumbria Cardiothoracic and Biofluid Research Bank by Risley Medical, Research And

Charity Trust Fund.

The money will be spent on equipment for the research bank, which is a collaboration between the Royal Preston and Blackpool Victoria Hospitals.

Blackpool Victoria Hospital is Lancashire and South Cumbria’s specialist cardiothoracic (heart/lung) disease centre.

It undertakes both counties’ lung cancer surgery so is collecting tissue, blood, urine and saliva samples from patients being treated for the disease, who have agreed to take part in

research.

These samples are then transferred to the cellular pathology department at the Royal Preston Hospital, where they are stored and made available free-of-charge to local consultants and

university scientists to help them in their work to identify new treatments for what is the UK’s third most common cancer, as well as new diagnostic tools.

Blackpool-based consultant Dr Danielle Bury applied to Rosemere Cancer Foundation for funding to set up the research bank.

The samples can also be obtained nationally at cost by pharmaceutical companies and other UK research centres, which it is hoped will make the tissue and biofluid lbank self-financing by

the time Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s three years of support ends.

Trusts and grants fundraiser Rebecca Arestidou said: “We are extremely grateful to Risley Medical, Research And Charity Trust Fund for this award.

“Lung cancer rates are not only higher in the North West than in other parts of the country but also, the region has a higher than national average lung cancer death rate.

“For a better future, the Lancashire and South Cumbria Cardiothoracic and Biofluid Research Bank is vital.”

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