Two families raising money for research into rhabdomyosarcoma travelled to the Institute of Cancer Research in London last week to learn more about the projects they have helped to fund.
Professor Janet Shipley is an expert in rhabdomyosarcoma research and has two projects funded by Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) Special Named Funds, including Pass the Smile for Ben and Super Ruby’s Rhabdo Raiser.
Andy and Claire Stewart set up Super Ruby’s Rhabdo Raiser while their daughter Ruby was undergoing treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma. Sadly, Ruby died in 2020 when her cancer came back and there were no further treatment options.
The pair, along with their many supporters, have raised over £190,000, part of which has funded Professor Shipley’s research.
They travelled down from Inchture in Scotland, to meet Professor Shipley and her team to find out more about how the money they’ve raised is making a difference.
Andy said:
It was really important to Claire and me to meet the people behind the research, who are vital to changing the future of childhood cancer, and see the amazing work Janet and her team are doing.
We’re understanding more about the project that we have part-funded, but also the lab visit helped make it feel real. Being able to meet the researchers in that environment, to understand more about the work they’re doing to grow tumours and test drugs, and seeing the physical processes attached to the project, it really helped put the picture in our heads of exactly what we have helped fund.
Scott and Sarah Crowther set up Pass the Smile for Ben in memory of their son Ben, who passed away in the summer of 2019, just a year after being diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma.
They have raised more than £150,000 for the fund, having received a wealth of support in their hometown of Coventry,
Scott said it was important to them to be able to understand more about the impact of their fundraising and to be able to share what they’ve learned with all those who have supported their efforts.
He said:
We have a lot of friends and family in the community who've raised funds for this research, and we wanted to find out how the project has gone and to know how the research is going to have an impact on families and children in the future.
We've been supported by so many different people, in so many different ways, and I think it's really important that we share the learnings of the visit.
Dr Joanne Selfe, a lead researcher in the lab, gave a presentation about the results from the project titled: ‘A molecular approach to predict recurrence or spread of cancer that will lead to improving outcomes for children with rhabdomyosarcoma.’
The families were then given the opportunity to ask questions about the research before Dr Selfe and Professor Shipley led a tour of the Sarcoma Molecular Pathology Laboratory, showing the different techniques and equipment they use.
Scott said: “I've found it pretty amazing. The thing I found most interesting was that they are growing tumour cells in 3D.
“They're able to grow rhabdomyosarcoma cells from patients in three-dimensional balls in the lab, and then test different drugs directly on those mini tumours.
“It's fascinating that you can grow cells in that way in a dish.”
For the researchers, it was a rare opportunity to meet the families that have funded three years of their research and find out what it means to them.
Professor Shipley said:
It's been a huge privilege to have the Special Named Fund families visit our lab today at the Institute.
We showed them how we work on the projects that they have actually funded themselves, and they had the chance to interact with some of the equipment.
We have really enjoyed having them here. They’ve had lots of interesting questions about our work and, in particular, we've enjoyed showing them around the laboratory.
Dr Sarah Evans, CCLG Research Manager, also joined the families for the tour, along with other members of the CCLG team.
She said: “It is fantastic to have the chance to visit Professor Shipley at the Institute of Cancer Research and see how they do their work.
“We appreciate the time taken for the team to share their research with us, and we look forward to seeing where it takes them next!”
You can read more about Professor Shipley’s research projects below: