Patient stories

Luke Wijsveld, 48, will be running the Berlin Marathon on 21 September, to mark 10 years since the death of his father-in-law, Professor Chris Marshall. Chris was a pioneering cancer researcher who spent 35 years working at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), making vital discoveries which have shaped our understanding of how cancers arise and have led to the development of advanced therapies to treat them.

Jolyon, 75, faced his own cancer diagnosis in 2018 and has also seen members of his immediate family and ‘too many friends’ touched by the disease. That’s why he has pledged to leave a gift in his Will to fund our ground-breaking research.

Rick Freedman, 50, who is Head of Research Finance at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), explains why our summer fundraising appeal, which is supporting our melanoma research, holds personal significance for him…

Bea Buckley, 40, was diagnosed with stage 3b acral melanoma, a rare type of skin cancer, in 2022. After three surgeries and 12 months of targeted therapy, she is now disease-free and feels hopeful about the future.

David Bateson, 49, was first diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer, in December 2019. By August 2021, it had spread to his liver, lungs and spine. Thanks to immunotherapy treatment, David has gone from having aggressive cancer to having no evidence of disease in his body. He explains why he now has hope for the future and a new-found appreciation of life…

Sally Steadman-South, a mother of two from Sheffield, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2014 at the age of 34, after visiting the GP about a small mole on her chest.

Elen Hughes was first diagnosed with primary invasive lobular breast cancer in 2008 at the age of 37. Eight years later, her cancer returned and spread, and she has been on a rollercoaster journey ever since, experiencing the highs of remission and the lows of numerous relapses. Since February 2025, she has been treated with the drug capivasertib, the discovery of which was underpinned by research at The Institute of Cancer Research. She is now doing well and feels hopeful for her future.

Sophie Norman had just turned 16 when she was diagnosed with the blood cancer acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in the summer of 2021. Now aged 19 and cancer free, she is in her first year at Bath University, studying Biochemistry. She is looking forward to a career in medical research, inspired by the scientists she met at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) during a work experience placement in our Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery.