Issue 6 - April 2013 - Alex Hulme Foundation

APRIL 2013
ISSUE 6
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Welcome to Issue Six
Alex Hulme Foundation Newsletter
Eighteen months on and we remain astonished by the
kindness and generosity shown by so many people towards
the Alex Hulme Foundation. Everyone who has supported
this legacy for Alex should feel rightfully proud of what they
have achieved to date, safe in the knowledge that they are
making a difference.
Evidence of the progress that has been made since we
reached agreement with Dr. Turner twelve months ago can
be seen from the update on page two. If any motivation
was needed, the steps we have made can only ensure we
continue to strive to meet our target of finding a cure for this
dreadful illness and ensure children are treated on a more
individual basis in the future.
LIFE GOES ON
Life moves on around us and we have found that out in
recent weeks with the sudden and sad loss of three people,
two of them to forms of cancer, who along with their
families have been very supportive towards the charity.
This underlines that whilst the work of the Foundation
continues, people’s lives can be affected in so many ways.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Adrian Kyle,
Colin Boyd and John Simon.
What has been so heartening recently is the number of
different types of events people are choosing to undertake
aside from the welcomed sponsored events. From quiz
nights, theatre nights and parties at home, it shows great
imagination that people want to ‘run their marathon’ in the
best way they can. We welcome any event that not only
raises funds but also helps improve awareness of the
existence of the Foundation.
*STAR BALL* 2013
Saturday 6th July 2013 - 7:00pm for 7:30pm
Worsley Park Hotel & Country Club, Walkden Road,
Worsley Park, Manchester M28 2QT
This year, we have set the ticket price at £35 per person for
which guests will receive a welcome drink and 3-course meal.
The evening will consist of live entertainment including the
return by popular demand of close up magician James
Anthony. Those who attended last year’s Ball will know that
James Anthony is a truly gifted Close Up Magician and Card
Magician, performing his unique Close Up Magic effects that
have made him such a popular choice for events worldwide.
OUR RAY OF SUNSHINE
The comperé and entertainer for the evening is
renowned local singer, Andy Lee. Andy enjoys an
established, successful solo career. Throughout
which he has worked with many big names in the
Entertainment business, appeared numerous times
on radio and television and has won awards for Best
Harmony, Best Act and Best Vocalist, both regionally
and nationally.
We are also delighted that Dr. Turner has kindly
agreed to attend the Ball and will update everyone on
how the research project is progressing.
There is ample free onsite parking but for those
would like to stay overnight, the Worsley Park has
granted guests a special reduced rate of £99 for a
single or double room including breakfast. This rate is
only available on rooms booked before 8th June
2013.
It is important to us that everyone who has kindly
given the Foundation their support can come together
to celebrate its success to date, so if you would like
to join us and/or book a room from the hotel or take a
look at the venue please visit the website and follow
the link to Star Ball 2013. Tickets can also be
obtained by contacting the Foundation directly by
phone, post or e-mail.
We look forward to seeing you there!
* 8 Edinburgh Close Sale Cheshire M33 4EZ * 0161 973 1343 * 07811 510311 *
Progress
APRIL 2013
PAGE 2
ALEX HULME FOUNDATION QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY
DIVISION OF MOLECULAR
HISTOPATHOLOGY
Level 3 Lab Block, Box 231,
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
Tel: 01223 762655 – Fax: 01223 586670 – Email:
[email protected]
Determining the identity of the paediatric B-cell NonHodgkin Lymphoma stem cell and its chemotherapeutic
sensitivity
How quickly time flies! Not quick enough it seems for Spring
to arrive! Regardless, writing this has given me the
opportunity to reflect upon the year that has passed since
Dave and Nic first approached me and shared their
determination to improve the treatment of children with
lymphoma. It has been an eventful year and whilst research
progresses at a steady pace we have achieved much. Most
notably we now have a formal link with the imminent worldwide paediatric B-NHL clinical trial. There has not been a
paediatric clinical trial of this nature for over 10 years and so
our involvement is a monumental occasion and we should be
recruiting the first children in the UK very soon. Whilst it is
unfortunate that children are still developing this disease, we
can be assured in the knowledge that they will be receiving
the best treatment we can currently offer and at the same
time will be donating their tumour tissues to our lab in order
that we can develop better therapies for children in the future.
We expect to acquire 25 tumour samples per year over the 5
years of the trial from the UK participants; these tumour
samples will be invaluable in enabling us to fully understand
the evolution of this cancer. With support from the Alex
Hulme Foundation we will carry out research, firstly using a
whole genome sequencing approach to determine the subtle
changes that occur within the DNA that might be contributing
to tumour growth, and secondly dissecting the heterogeneity
of the tumour to identify the Queen bees, the orchestrators of
the tumour. It is our intention that these studies will not only
help us to understand why and how these cancers arise but
also to identify novel drug targets for future development.
I am also delighted that our lab will be joined by a new
student in July who will spend a year working full-time in the
lab on this project. The student, who has chosen to work
SPREAD THE WORD
voluntarily in our lab instead of taking on a paid industrial
placement (she is studying for a 4 year degree whereby
rd
the 3 year is spent working in a practicing laboratory) is
very keen to learn and help the cause having herself, like
many of us, lost a family member to cancer. I am delighted
that the Alex Hulme Foundation will be helping out by
providing a stipend to assist the student with her living
expenses as well as all the laboratory consumables that
will be needed for this important project.
As always, many, many thanks for your continued efforts
without which we would not be able to carry out this
essential research.
Best Wishes
Dr Suzanne D. Turner PhD.
Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research Bennett Fellow
EQUIPMENT UPDATE
Following on from the decision made by the Trustees to
allocate funds raised in year two to raising £30,000 to
purchase a Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) Accuri C6 flow cytometer for Dr. Turner, which is not only
vital to the project but as she currently has to hire one
from another lab it will help to save her both time and
money. To date we have raised £15,401 so we are half
way towards the target. With your help we will soon have
met our first target of year two.
* Contact us via the website - www.alexhulmefoundation.co.uk * E-mail - [email protected] *
* Follow us on Facebook – Alex Hulme Foundation * Twitter - @alexhfoundation *
News
APRIL 2013
PAGE 3
ALEX HULME FOUNDATION QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
£100,000 IN SIGHT
As the breakdown on page four indicates, we are just under
seven thousand pounds short of raising £100,000 in
eighteen months! Thank you to everyone who has
contributed to this remarkable feat. We sincerely hope that
by the time we write again, that magical figure will have
been passed. One way help still further and to maximize
the amounts raised is via Gift Aid. As we have now entered
a new tax year it is timely to remind everyone that if you are
a tax payer, as a charity, we can reclaim the income tax
that you have already paid on the income out of which you
make your donation. This means that from a £10 donation,
the Foundation will receive £12.50. Gift Aid donations do
not cost the donor, any extra so all you need to do is to
confirm that you are a taxpayer and that you are willing for
your donations to be included in the Gift Aid scheme for the
benefit of the Foundation and include your full name,
address and postcode with your donation.
CHARITY NIGHT
Ben Paddon who, along with his colleague Sue Davies,
bravely had his head in May 2012, raising over £4,000 in
the process has kindly offered to mark the anniversary of
this event by arranging a night of entertainment to raise
further funds for the Foundation.
Ben, supported by his partner Gillian, have worked tirelessly
to arrange a Charity Night on Friday 10th May 2013 at 7pm
at Newton Ward Conservative Club, Ashton Road, Newton,
Hyde, SK14 4BH. The evening will include entertainment,
DJ, a buffet and a raffle for which prizes range from a TV to
the free hire of a skip! Tickets are now available at £10
each and can be obtained by contacting the Foundation or
you can pay by card by clicking on the link on the website.
We hope you can come along to what will undoubtedly be a
great night.
BAXTER’S BLOG
Hello everyone, I’m Baxter and it is great to be able to finally
speak to you all. I have been asked by Mum, Dad and Matt
to write a blog thingy for each newsletter to let you know
how I am going on, so here goes.
I would like to thank everyone for making me so welcome in
my new home and for all the lovely things that have been
said about me. I hope I can do justice to your kind words.
What a busy few months I have had since this cheeky chap
named Matt plucked me from my weaning box in early
December and gave me a hug. It seemed a long time until I
BAXTER
saw him again but he came back for me and took me
for a ride in this big metal box on wheels. It was my first
time away from my Mum, brothers and sisters but I was
very happy because Matt was looking after me. I soon
had my own bed, toys to play with and bowls to eat and
drink out of without having to fight anyone to use them
although Matt does try sometimes. It’s not all been
good though as one day Matt took me to see this big
man who squirted something up my nose which made
me sneeze and kept sticking sharp things into me and
then said sorry and gave me a biscuit! I have also been
to this place where this lady tries to drown me, rubs
smelly stuff over me, and chops lumps of my fur off
then tries to blow even more off with this blowy thing! I
quite like that bit though.
I know all about Alex as I go to visit a place with his
name on every day. Everyone seems sad when they
talk about him. I’ve heard people talk about the Alex
Hulme Foundation and how it is raising money for a
lady to make children better which sounds great to me.
I will be doing all I can to help everyone else raise as
much money as possible so I hope you will me help too.
So far, I have been to watch people running but they
wouldn’t let me run after them so maybe I can come
and watch you at an event soon and chase you instead!
I hope to see you very soon
Baxter
xx
We Will Always Love You, You Will Always Be With Us In Our Hearts
Events
APRIL 2013
PAGE 4
ALEX HULME FOUNDATION QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
FUNDRAISING UPDATE
Since the last newsletter many people have undertaken
various types of events. Please see the website for more
information and amounts raised from some of these events.
Steve Bazley, Denise & Steve Creely and Dorothy Cooper
and over 100 people who bought their 2013 AHF Calendars
Xerox - Proceeds from their Tuck Shop
Susan Taylor who made and sold bags and Christmas cards
Daye Bajela, Sally Pridding and Massey Halls Charity Fun
Day at Sale Grammar School
Ladies Night (including Nic Nacs) at Woodheys Primary
Lucy Bishop who made and sold lovely bracelets
Phil Sephton – St Helens 10K – (Baxter’s first event!)
Amanda Dyer - Wilmslow Half Marathon
Carole Coram - Boden Party
Cllr Baugh’s Ex-Mayor Committee – St David’s Day Dinner
Christina & Tony Robinson & James Goodwin Musical
Theatre Company - Theatre Night – Oliver & Sister Act
Phil Sephton & Mark Whittle – St Helens to Southport Run
Generous donations were also received from:Altrincham General Hospital Physio Dept
Heather Harrisson
Wilmslow High School
Mark Rowe - Rowes Gardening
Sale Civic Society
Lesley & Barrow Gaskarth
NHS Tameside & Glossop
Miss Cook, Miss Nutt & staff at Ashton on Mersey School
Margaret Deakin & Anne Bell
Julie Samari & Family
Dorothy Kyle & Family
Liam Williamson
Many people also kindly donated money for Nic’s
Birthday as well as an Easter gift for Alex.
Thank you to everyone for their valued support
FUTURE EVENTS
Saturday 20th April 2013 - Trash & Treasure Sale - Hazel
Grove United Reformed Church, Short Street, Hazel Grove.
SK7 4AD
Sunday 28th April 2013 - Manchester Marathon - Alex Daine
th
Friday 10 May 2013 – Charity Night at Newton Ward
Conservative Club Ashton Road, Newton, Hyde, SK14 4BH.
Ben Paddon & Gillian Hadfield
Sunday 12th May 2013 - Chester Half Marathon – Jess Dalby
Sunday 26th May 2013 - Manchester 10K - Alan Concannon,
Phil Sephton, Amy Jackson, Chris Johnstone and Andy &
Total Raised
£93, 180.47
£100,000
£90,000
£80,000
£70,000
£60,000
£50,000
£40,000
£30,000
£20,000
£10,000
£0
Sales
Donations Fundraising
TOTAL @ 14/04/2013
Adam Gorton and Georgina Newton.
th
Monday 27 May 2013 – Manchester Junior Run – Sam
& Charlie Concannon
Friday 14th June 2013 - Pampered Chef Evening Dawn Concannon
Saturday 15th June 2013 - Great North Swim in
Windermere - Karen & Ian Sykes
th
nd
Saturday 6 July 2013 – 2 ANNUAL *STAR BALL* at
Worsley Park Hotel & Country Club. M28 2QT - 7pm for
7:30pm.
For further details of these events, please visit the
website: www.alexhulmefoundation.co.uk
ITEMS FOR SALE
*White T-Shirts* £10 - S (36"), M (40"), L (44") XL (46")
* Wrist Straps * - AHF - Alex Hulme Foundation
* Wristbands * - Adult & Ladies/Youth Sizes
* Keyrings* - AHF - Alex Hulme Foundation
All £2 each (+ 50p p&p where applicable)
*Cross Stitch Cards* - Made to order
£1.50 to £2 (+ £1 p&p)
Simply Trafford COOKBOOK - £4
**************************************************************
Thank you for your continued support.
Dave, Nic, *Alex*, Matt & Baxter xxx
We hope you enjoyed reading our newsletter. If you have any comments or items you would like to include in our
Seventh Edition due out on 15th July 2013, please do not hesitate to contact us.