Last month I ran my 18th - and my last as an MP - London Marathon, in aid of The Christie hospital and in memory of my mother and children’s campaigner, Alex Timpson MBE.
I completed the course in four hours, six minutes, and 26 seconds. Not too bad, given that I’m now in the over-50s category!
My mother was treated for cancer at The Christie before she died in January 2016, aged 69.
Alex was a highly respected children’s campaigner, fostering 90 children and adopting two of my brothers. She was awarded the MBE in 2006 in recognition of her services to children and families.
The care given and compassion shown to my mum and our family - by all the staff and volunteers at The Christie - made a massive difference during the many months of treatment for her cancer. Every pound raised will help them continue to do so for others needing their help and support.
The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS can fund.
This support includes money for care and treatment, research, education, and extra patient services. Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that The Christie can provide for patients and their families.
I am proud the UK has become a world leader in cancer research, and I recognise the importance of government investment in ensuring we can continue to improve the survival rates and quality of life of cancer patients.
The UK Government allocates funding for cancer research through the National Institute for Health & Care Research and UK Research & Innovation via the science budget.
Current Government-funded projects include a £47.5 million partnership between Cancer Research UK, the NIHR, and the Little Princess Trust to deliver early phases of clinical research, which will develop new treatments for future generations.
The Government is also investing a further £22.5 million in cancer research to develop new immune-system-based cancer therapies, and the Department of Health & Social Care is partnering with BioNTech SE to deliver 10,000 doses of personalised treatment to UK patients by 2030.
If you’d like to support my Christie marathon run, donating through JustGiving at bit.ly/ETMP-Christie-Donation is still possible. JustGiving will send your money directly to The Christie, saving time and cutting costs for the hospital.
Again, thank you for your support. It means a great deal to my family, me, and the many Christie patients across our Eddisbury constituency!
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