“I know I am alive today thanks to research” 🔬💊⚗️ Six years ago, Dorian Burrows,76, was told he had high-risk myeloma, a type of blood cancer, and that he probably had between six months and five years to live. He was also told that there was a clinical trial he could apply to take part in, but that it was closing that evening in a matter of hours. Thankfully Dorian made it in time and was accepted onto the MUK9b OPTIMUM clinical trial, co-led by the ICR. He has now been in remission for nearly four years. “I have a great family – my wife, two children and four grandchildren. They’ve kept me going through my treatment, which has enabled me to carry on with the other great passion in my life – riding motorcycles. When I was diagnosed, I swapped my two-wheel Harley for a three-wheel Can Am Spyder. Last year I did 15,000 miles on it with my friends. Having an all-encompassing hobby is so important in keeping a positive attitude to myeloma. “My treatment on the trial was tough. I had six months of induction treatment followed by an autologous stem cell transplant, which was followed by a 12-month consolidation stage. I am now on part five the maintenance stage. I’ve just celebrated my 46th month of remission. I’m currently taking the drug Daratumumab monthly. “It's not a matter of if, but when, my myeloma will come back, but there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it, apart from take the treatments. I went on the trial because I wanted to help the scientists find a cure. I know I’m alive today because of research. I’ve followed the ICR for a while now. I’m so impressed by what they’ve achieved, and I am hopeful that new treatments will be found.” A regular gift will help our researchers make more life-saving discoveries, giving people with blood cancer precious extra time with their loved ones. Please donate today: https://donate.icr.ac.uk/ This #InternationalClinicalTrialsDay, read Dorian’s full story here: https://www.icr.ac.uk/research-and-discoveries/cancer-blogs/detail/science-talk/i-know-i-am-alive-today-thanks-to-research----dorian-s-blood-cancer-story (fb)

We are delighted to welcome The Ellie Mawdsley Foundation as one of our new charity partners, and are extremely grateful to the Mawdsley family for supporting our research into brain cancers that affect children and young adults. Ellie was 23 when she sadly passed away in July 2023, 19 months after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. She was determined to improve the lives of young people with brain cancer and selflessly donated her brain tissue to Professor Chris Jones’ lab. Since her passing, her family have set up The Ellie Mawdsley Foundation to carry on her legacy. They have pledged £57,500 towards the research being done by Professor Chris Jones and his team into diffuse midline glioma (DMG) and we are incredibly grateful for their recent donation of £28,750. The funds donated by The Ellie Mawdsley Foundation will enable Dr Molina Das in Professor Chris Jones' team to undertake vital experiments to better understand how DMG cells evade treatment, and screen potential promising drug candidates. Thank you to Ellie’s family for their incredible support. ❤️ (fb)