A group of residents are hoping to raise some much needed funds for a new local charity and its research programme.
‘Team Banchory’ are supporting GASTROCAN (Gastro-oesophageal Cancer Research Fund) by running either the 5 or 10k Balmoral Run on 23 April 2011.
Set up by Dr Russell Petty, GASTROCAN is the only charity raising money specifically or research into stomach and oesophageal cancer.
Gastric (stomach) and oesophageal (gullet) cancers are among the most rapidly-rising types of cancer, and rates in Scotland are among the highest in the world. While advances have been made in treatment to control gastro-oesophageal cancer, cure rates remain low especially in comparison to other types of cancer.
A patient with breast cancer has an eight out of 10 chance of completely beating the disease, compared with just one in 10 gastro-oesophageal cancer patients. Accordingly, gastro-oesophageal cancer is seen as a priority area for medical research.
GASTROCAN has been established to support research to improve treatment for oesophageal and gastric cancer in NHS Grampian and The University of Aberdeen Medical School. Dr Russell Petty, Consultant Medical Oncologist at NHS Grampian and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, specialises in the treatment of gastro-oesophageal cancer, and leads University and NHS Grampian research into the causes and treatment of the disease.
By supporting research GASTROCAN also aims to increase awareness of gastric and oesophageal cancer to help patients recognise the symptoms of disease and know when to seek help.
“Our research projects include clinical trials of the latest drugs for gastro-oesophageal cancer patients and investigations into the causes of gastro-oesophageal cancer”.
“We are also looking at the symptoms of the disease and how patients and GPs react to them and we are also exploring how new imaging and scanning techniques can be used to improve how the best treatment for patients is selected”.
“A key aim of all our research involves trying to develop tests called biomarkers to enable doctors to individualise cancer therapy for patients to optimise the chances of success and minimise side effects, rather than the current 'one size fits all' approach.”
“It is thanks to fundraising efforts like this that we can continue our fight against this devastating disease.”
You can support ‘Team Banchory’ at http://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Tulloch4